Yeah. Sure. Whatever.
by Babs1
Summary: Buffy, Roswell, and Angel x-over. Buffy and the girls take a little vacation to Roswell.
1. Chapter 1

Author: Babs  
  
e-mail: shify77@hotmail.com  
  
Authors note: Okay, so this is a Roswell/Buffy/Angel x-over. Here are the things you need to know. I started this last season before much had happened on all the shows and I never wanted to go back and rework it b/c frankly I liked it how it was. So... in this world we don't know what Dawn is the key to and Buffy never died. Alex never died and Tess never went psycho. Stuff does get mentioned that happened after Alex died. No fear! It will get explained eventually. And as far as Angel goes, I guess Pylea never happened. It really doesn't matter. Lastly, each part is told in alternating POV's. It starts with Dawn and then will go to Maria and so forth. Eventually, Cordy will get introduced as the Angel voice. It's not that confusing. Any questions?  
  
Disclaimer: None of them are mine. I'm not completely crazy. So don't sue b/c no good will come from it  
  
Rating: PG-13??  
  
Feedback: Please?? Begging doesn't look good on me.  
  
Distribution: If you want it, take it. Just please let me know.  
  
****  
  
Okay, so here's the deal. I'm Dawn Summers. Only I'm not. I'm actually "The Key." I'm a mystical thing sent to this dimension in the form of a human so that the Slayer would protect me. The Slayer? Yeah, the Vampire Slayer. That's Buffy. See, there are vampires and demons and werewolves and all other kinds of creepie crawlies that go bump in the night. For real. And in every generation there is one girl who has the power to fight this stuff. This generation, it's Buffy Summers. My sister. Only she's not. The people who sent me here thought that Buffy would be most driven to protect me if I was her sister. Yeah right? Have you ever met a girl who is "most willing to protect" her younger sister. Most willing to torment maybe.  
  
Anyways. The thing about being the Slayer is that nobody is supposed to know. It's supposed to be a thing done all top secret like. Only her and her watcher, that would be Giles. He's British. Do you really need to know anything more about him? Umm… I guess you could say that Buffy likes to make her own rules. In the five years we've lived in Sunnnydale these are the people who have learned about her. Willow-she's a witch and also Buffy's best friend. Xander- he's just Xander, but that's plenty for me. Xander is dating Anya who used to be a demon but is now human. Then there's Oz- Willow's ex-boyfriend who happens to be a werewolf but left Sunnydale and is now…Where is Oz? Maybe Timbuktu. Something like that. Tara knows too. That's Willow's current girlfriend. She's a witch too. Now when I say witch I don't mean witch in the I'm too nice to say bitch kind of way. Whatever. I mean witch in the wicca - they can do spells and make things float-kind of way. Then there's Riley. That's Buffy's ex- boyfriend he knows too. Along with half the military secret-ops group he was in. Riley was cool. Cute too. Too bad he flipped out and started letting vamps suck his blood. Can I just say "EEEEEEEWWWWW?" Shudder. Then there's Cordelia. Now she's a bitch. Well at least she was the last time I saw her. She was all like "I'm Cordelia. May dad's rich. I'm so special." Well, she knows too, but she went to LA after high school to be famous. Sure.  
  
Wow, that's a lot of people. But what can you expect from a Slayer who falls in love with a vampire? That would be Angel. I mean granted he has a soul and all, but still. You have to know that no good can come from a relationship between a vamp and the Slayer. Most of the time the just did the whole woe is me, brood around and steal longing glimpses at each other type of thing. Or they'd kiss. A lot. But Angel's gone now. He left to go to LA so Buffy could live a normal life. Uh?? Hello!!! She's the Slayer. How do you get from Slayer to normal? Oh yeah, you head straight down denial and then make a left at impossible. Oh well. I guess he made his decision. Now he and Cordy work together. They run a private investigation of the things that go bump variety. Now THAT I would love to see. Cordy in battle. What happens when she breaks a nail??  
  
Confused yet? Did I mention we live in Sunnydale? That's on the Hellmouth. Lot's of creepy goodness for the Slayer and her friends. Which leads to now. Now I'm waiting at the bottom of the stairs for my sister to finish packing her bags. My gosh, how many pairs of shoes does she need for a two week trip? You see, we've had much wackiness around here as of late. A little while ago our Mom died. Only in a town that is more like a one stop evil shopping stop, Mom died from complications due to a brain tumor. Buffy's been kind of kicking herself in the butt about it. Me?? I'm not sure how I'm taking it. There are some days when I forget. When I bound down the stairs in the morning and expect to see her in the kitchen or living room. Other days, I can't stand to get out of bed and Buffy has to threaten me with my life in order to get me to go to school. She says if I don't keep going to school, Dad's not gonna let me stay with her anymore. Yeah right. Buffy could kick Dad's butt any day and I'm not sure he'd be at all copestetic with the idea of demons and vamps and oh yeah "your daughter's the key." I usually go to school anyway. Giles says that I need to be nice to Buffy because she's having to deal with a losing her mother too. Really? I didn't know that. Geez, I'm fourteen not stupid.  
  
Then about a week ago there was the whole Glory debacle. Glory, she was this god from the other dimension who was trying to find the Key (that would be me) so she could open whatever it is that I open. It wasn't a pretty thing. She was a god. Buffy had never fought a god before and it turns out that god Glory could kick some Buffy butt. That's okay. We figured out to deal with her eventually. Now she's dead or at least she's gone. Not quite sure if gods can do the dead thing. Doesn't matter. She's now somewhere where she's not bothering us. This is a good thing.  
  
After it all ended Buffy said we needed to go somewhere that wasn't here. We needed to take a break and everyone knows what that mean. Road trip. It was gonna be just Buffy and me but then we decided to invite Willow and Tara along. At first I was kind of upset cuz I thought it would have been cool for it to be just us, a sisters' kind of thing. But then I realized that road trip means driving and as Buffy once said, Buffy and driving are very unmixy things. I mean she drives now. Riley spent countless hours willingly subjecting himself to the torture that is Buffy's driving and she got her license. Still, driving with Buffy isn't the most relaxing way to spend your time. Now Willow and Tara can help with the driving and it will be a much more happy time. Less white knuckles all around.  
  
We're never gonna get on the road if Buffy doesn't get her butt moving.  
  
"BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUFFFFFYYYYYYY!!!!! Come on!" No more little nice Dawn. I wanna get going. Speaking of which, I don't even know where we're going. Nobody ever tells me anything.  
  
"Buffy! We're gonna be late-uh-er. Willow and Tara are waiting." That's it. Time to take matters into my own hands. I trudge up the stairs to find her. I'll drag her out of the house kicking and screaming if I have to. Rounding the corner, I find Buffy in her room. Well I guess it's Buffy. Right now all that I can see are her legs sticking out from underneath the bed.  
  
"Where is it? I know it's somewhere around here? Ah hah! Found it!" With that Buffy emerges with sword in hand. Figures. She leaves me waiting so that she can find a weapon. SO I send her the look. You know the look, the one that says "couldn't you have gone without?"  
  
"What?" she says, all nice and innocent like "It's better to be safe than sorry. Well, at least that's what Giles says to me all the time. I figure, couldn't hurt right? Let's go. Well come on Dawn, we can't keep Willow and Tara waiting all day. Hurry up."  
  
Do you see what I have to deal with? It's just that sometimes she's so. I don't know she's just grrrrr. You know? But I'm not gonna say anything. No I'll take the high road thank you very much. So we grab our bags and rush down the stairs where Giles is waiting for us.  
  
"Now you know if anything comes up you can phone me. Please Buffy, be cautious. I'm not entirely comfortable with you just leaving like this. I know it's not going to stop you, but I just wanted to voice my concerns." That's Giles. Always in watcher-mode.  
  
"Giles, you must calm down. We'll be fine. You have my cell phone number and my pager number and my e-mail. It's amazing what all this new fangled technology can do for you these days. I'm so reachable you'll never even notice that I'm not here. Well, except for that I won't be here, but it's only for a little while."  
  
"Yes, yes. I realize that I can stay in contact with you. Just please be careful. Other than that have fun."  
  
After that it's a quick chorus of good-byes and hugs all around.  
  
"Bye M....," I start to yell. I try to stop myself but it's too late. Giles and Buffy both noticed and both turn to look at me with that look in their eyes. I hate that look. I don't want pity. "It's just, you know, sometimes I forget that she's gone."  
  
"Come on Dawny. Let's go."  
  
The drive over to the dorms is quick and surprisingly not terrifying. Willow and Tara are waiting for us in front of the dorms. Buffy pops the trunk and they throw their bags in. "See Buffy? They know that you don't need to take five million bags for a two week vacation. Maybe you need to take bag packing lessons from Willow. Because you may be the Slayer but you have yet to learn the art of packing."  
  
"Whatever Dawn. I had to bring the weapons. I'm weapon girl and weapons take up lots of room. Willow, Tara tell her I didn't pack too much."  
  
"Hey girls," Willow says "Are we ready for some fun? I mean not the demon slaying type of fun that we normally have but some real people fun? And by the way I'm not getting in the middle of your sister argument."  
  
Buffy looks at Tara for help.  
  
"Nope. Nuh uh. I'm not middle girl either. Let's get going. We're wasting valuable time. Um, can I ask a question? Where exactly are we going."  
  
"Yeah Buffy. You've been top secret girl about this. Has she told you Dawn?"  
  
"Don't look at me Willow. She hasn't said anything to me about it. Look at me. This is me, totally in the dark."  
  
"Come on Buff, spill."  
  
"Okay, okay. Now that we're leaving I guess it's only fair that I tell you where we're going huh?" Well, duh. I could've told her that. "We're gonna go to Roswell."  
  
Willow, Tara and I turn to look at each other. Okay, who's going to be the brave soul to say it? I guess it'll be Willow.  
  
"Um… as in New Mexico? Like with the aliens and stuff?"  
  
"Yeah. I thought it'd be funny. I thought we could use a break from reality."  
  
"Well that's true." Tara says with a playful look in her eyes, "But Buffy, how do we know that aliens don't really exist."  
  
"We don't I guess. But I guess we'll find out."  
  
Aliens. Yeah. Sure. Whatever.  
  
**** 


	2. Chapter 2

*****  
  
Okay so here's the deal. Me? I'm Maria Deluca. Not a whole lot you need to know about me. Except that I'm sort of dating an alien hybrid who was once second in command of his race. And I mean sort of dating in reference to the fact that we're kind of on again off again, not that he's sort of an alien hybrid. I mean, come on, how can you be sort of alien? But it's not important really. What you really need to know is that he's a complete dunderhead. Okay, okay. I'll explain the whole alien thing.  
  
My friends and me? We live in Roswell, New Mexico. Yup, the infamous crash really happened. Michael, that's my dunderhead spaceboy, Max, Isabel and Tess were all in the crash. See, they were like sent to Earth in a spaceship in these like incubation pods. They, hmm how do I say this nicely? Well, they hatched ten year ago. There's a whole sordid history behind who they are, but you don't really need to hear it. If I think you need to know something later, I'll fill you in.  
  
UP until last year my life was pretty normal. I mean I was a little bored, but I mean what sixteen-year-old isn't bored? Still, I was happy. I had my best friends Liz Parker and Alex Whitman. What more could I ask for? Life in my little Maria bubble was pretty damn good. Then hell broke loose. I worked with Liz at her parents' restaurant the Crashdown Café- a completely cheesy alien themed place. Well, one day a fight broke out while we were working and Liz got shot. I mean it was bad. She was bleeding really bad. I know because I was holding her, but out of nowhere (well not nowhere actually. It was really the booth that they always sit at.) Max Evans comes over and shoves me out of the way and the next thing I know Liz is sitting up saying she's fine and that it was just a ketchup bottle that had exploded on her. I'm sorry, babe, but I know that difference between ketchup and blood and what I saw was definitely blood.  
  
To make a long story as short as possible, it turns out that Max had healed her. I mean we didn't actually know him at the time. Well I guess we knew him in the "there goes Max Evans the really quiet guy with his popular ice princess sister Isabel and his anti-social friend Michael something or other" kind of way. But that's it. Well it turns out that Max had a huge crush in Liz and couldn't bear to see her die. Lucky for her, the alien they have these powers that them manipulate the structure of things so Max could heal her. SO there she is healed and it was suddenly like "Welcome to alien land."  
  
I know, I know. It's like completely sweet that Max risked himself to save Liz. Makes people go all gushy when they find out. Now life is kind of crazy because suddenly we're getting shot at, chased by crazy FBI agents, kidnapped and being hunted down by enemy aliens. And did I mention that we still have to go to school on top of all this? Oh yeah. Let's not forget the heartache.  
  
Because for awhile Liz and Max were together. And Michael and me? Well, we were something. And Izzy and Alex had started something. But then Tess showed up and things went to hell in a handbasket. Okay so I'm not blaming Tess, well at least not anymore, but I'm just saying…It turns out that Tess was the fourth alien. She just hatched a little later than the rest of them and got left behind. In the end, it turned out that there was this whole "destiny" thing. In their former lives, Tess and Max had been married and Michael and Is had been engaged. Can I just say yuck? WE find this out and Liz says she has to let them fulfill their destiny. Bam! No more Max and Liz. The Michael has to kill a guy to save us and he's like "I love you too much to hurt you." What is that anyway? Bam!! No more Michael and Maria. Then Izzy got confused about everything. Bam! No more Isabel and Alex.  
  
When school started this fall, things seemed like they might be getting better. I was working Michael. He was gonna give in eventually. I know he was. Well, he kinda did. It's just that right now, we're in the off again part of our relationship. I mean you wouldn't believe what he said to me the other day… Sorry. I digress. The when it looked like Max and Liz might be on their way to fixing things, Liz gets a visit from Max but not Max in the Future who told her that she had to make the now Max fall out of love with her. He said that if she didn't then the world would end. So Liz convinced Kyle (that's her ex-boyfriend who now knows about the aliens because Max saved his life) to pretend that they slept together and managed to get Max to see them in bed together. Things between them now are a little better but still strained. Izzy just doesn't know what she wants and poor Alex is just hanging out and waiting for her. Although since he got back from his trip to Sweden, he's been better. Much less drooly and puppy-dogish. Then there's Tess and Kyle. Even I can't understand what's happening there.  
  
Tonight there's gonna be none of that. We're not aliens and humans. Tonight we're just a bunch of friends hanging out. We're all going to watch a movie and then us girls are going to have a slumber party and do girlie things. You know manicures, make up, and pig out. The essential girl repertoire. Lizzie's parents are out of town for awhile so we're meeting at her place to watch the movie. I can't wait to kick the guys out. It's been so long since I've felt like a normal girl.  
  
I decided to drop by early so I could hide my contribution to the girl essentials. Cookie dough, Cheetos, and face masks.  
  
"Lizzie!!" I yell as I step into her living room. "I'm here!"  
  
"We're in my room!" We?? Who's we? I go into her bedroom and see Isabel, Liz and Tess sprawled on her bed looking through magazines.  
  
"I guess we all had the same idea."  
  
"Yeah. Drop off all our stuff so we can hide it from the guys," Isabel says with a laugh. "Can you imagine what they'd do if that got their hands on it?"  
  
"Yeah, eat all the food and make fun of our make up." Tess says. "You can't believe what Kyle did when he found my tweezers in the bathroom the other day."  
  
"No boy talk." I yell. "It's bad enough that they weaseled their way into our night. They will not be spoken of unless they are present."  
  
"Oh yeah." Liz half whispers.  
  
"What happened Liz?" Iz asks, exasperated.  
  
"I, um, kind of told Max and Michael they could pick out the movie.  
  
"Oh Lizzie. How could you? We're going to get stuck watching Braveheart again."  
  
"No. I made Max promise that they wouldn't bring that."  
  
"Helllllooooo!!!??"  
  
"Well, here they are. I guess we'll find out soon enough."  
  
"We're back in my room. Be right out."  
  
The four of us walk giggling back into the living room and find Max, Michael, Kyle and Alex standing around, arms full of junkfood.  
  
"Hey," we all say. "What's up?"  
  
"You can just put all the food on the table." Liz states. "The soda and glasses are in the kitchen. Help yourselves."  
  
"Well should we watch the movie?" I say.  
  
"Yeah let's get started."  
  
Tess asks a little hesitantly, "What exactly are we going to be watching?"  
  
"Lost Boys!" Michael says with that stupid smirk on his face.  
  
"Lost Boys??" Is asks. "Isn't that about vampires?"  
  
"Michael, Max and Kyle thought it would be fun." Alex informs us. "You know kinda a break from reality."  
  
"You never know." Liz says. "They could be real."  
  
So we settle down to watch the movie and all that I can think is "Vampires??" Yeah. Sure. Whatever.  
  
**** 


	3. Chapter 3

*****  
  
So it's the second day of our little trip and so far, so good. I mean nobody's dead yet and we haven't ripped our hair out yet. What more can you ask for? I mean there was incident yesterday with Buffy and a semi, but we got through it. Now Buffy isn't allowed to drive for awhile, and I'm okay with that. Buffy's driving is a little stressful.  
  
It's been a fun road trip so far, but I think we're all getting a little cabin fever. We drove like eleven hours yesterday and ended up staying in a pretty sleazy motel. I saw bugs in the bathroom. Big bugs. None of us slept very well so we got on the road early. So its five o'clock now and we've been on the road almost eight hours and we missed the only rest stop for about a million miles so we didn't get to eat lunch. Right now we're being sustained by pixie stix and pretzels. Plus I have to pee. Really bad. Maybe I'll die of a burst bladder. I think I remember hearing a story about some guy at a royal dinner dying because his bladder exploded. Figures. Could have died from demons or vampires or a god, but I'm gonna die because I didn't get to pee.  
  
"I spy…"  
  
"Willow nobody wants to play I spy anymore," I say. The pressure on my bladder is starting to wear on my nerves.  
  
"I'm sorry. I just thought, you know, fun! We could use some fun. Because that's what this trip is about. Fun!"  
  
"Oh look!" Willow's rambling is interrupted by Tara. We all turn to see what she's pointing at, and the car swerves into the other lane.  
  
"Willow! You don't look. You look at the road and other driving things."  
  
"Sorry. I got a little excited. What'd ya see Tara?" Now that my heart has returned from my throat to my chest, I'm curious too. Whatever Tara had been pointing at got covered by my brief fog of haze.  
  
"Oh it was just a road sign. It said Roswell, 25 miles."  
  
"Oh yippee! We're almost there."  
  
"Buffy, did you just say yippee?"  
  
"Why, I think I did. Just go with it."  
  
Cool, we're almost there. I can pee in twenty-five miles. How many minutes is 25 miles?  
  
*****  
  
Today is the most boring day. I've been on my shift since noon and it's almost five now and we've had like twenty customers all day. Plus Michael's working and since we're kind of off again right now, he's being an ass.  
  
"Lizzie," I whine, "I'm bored." I glance around at the five remaining customers and put on my best pouty face.  
  
"I don't know what to tell you Maria. Fill the ketchup bottles or something," she says from behind her physics book. "Or study. It's not like we don't have finals this week. You can think of something to do. I know you can. I have faith in you."  
  
"Come on Liz," I say as I grab her book from underneath her nose. "Entertain me."  
  
"Maria! I really need to study. I have my final in two days."  
  
"And you'll do fine. C'mon. You already know this stuff. When haven't you gotten an A is science." My rant is interrupted by the ding of the front door. Oh yeah customers. I turn to greet them and see that it's only Max, Isabel, Tess, Kyle and Alex.  
  
"Oh. It's just you guys. What's up?"  
  
"Not much," Max says as he shoots a sideways glance at Liz. "We're all just taking a study break."  
  
"Can you guys believe that in two more days we'll be done?" Isabel asks.  
  
"We're gonna be seniors! We're gonna be seniors!"  
  
"Alex you need to calm down."  
  
"Sorry. I just can't help but get a little excited. Next year we're gonna rule the school."  
  
"Yeah? Okay." Gotta love Kyle sometimes.  
  
"So what are we gonna do? We need entertainment. I mean I never thought I'd be saying this again, but could Roswell be any duller?  
  
Seven heads whip around and glare at me. "What did I grow a third eye or something?" I glance around to the few remaining customers and drop my voice to a whisper. "It's not like I'm asking for more alien stuff or anything. God no. But like, do you think we could find something to do besides hanging out at the Crashdown?"  
  
Alex shrugs his shoulders and says, "There's always the cheese factory."  
  
"Um Ria."  
  
"Yes Lizzie."  
  
"I don't know about them but you, me and Michael are on 'til closing. We can't do anything until after 10:00."  
  
I roll my eyes at her. "I know that, babe. I didn't mean like right now. I was speaking in the abstract. It is almost summer after all."  
  
"Hey!" Kyle interjects as he reaches into his back pocket. "Anyone up for some cards."  
  
"Sure," Liz says as she pries her nose out of her book to come over and join us.  
  
"What are we gonna play?"  
  
"Hmmm." Kyle looks around with mischievous eyes. "Strip poker?"  
  
"Kyle!" All of us girls shout as we throw whatever we can at him and settle around a table to play.  
  
**** 


	4. Chapter 4

****  
  
So we're in Roswell and I'm like totally not getting what this place is all about. Am I missing something? I mean I really could be missing something. Wouldn't be the first time. Okay, so I get the aliens. Roswell is really into the aliens. They're all over the place. On our drive through I guess what is the main strip there's a UFO Center and this diner looking thing called the Crashdown Café. I might be going out on a limb here, but I'm guessing that it's an alien themed restaurant. I'm also kind of thinking that there's not a whole lot to do here. At least not two weeks worth of stuff.  
  
We're staying at the Holiday Inn Express. It seems decent enough and at least it has a pool. But there are even articles about the infamous crash in the lobby. I've been reading them while Buffy tries to get us checked in.  
  
"No, we want one room. Two double beds. We'll be staying at least ten days maybe more."  
  
Great, I think. I guess I'll be sharing a bed with Buffy. Just what I've always wanted. She's a cover hog and she kicks in her sleep. Have you ever shared a bed with a vampire slayer? It's like sleeping in a war zone. Well, maybe we can get a cot.  
  
"Okay kids." Buffy says as she throws each of us a key. "Let's go. We're in room 214."  
  
So now we have to try and get all of Buffy's, er I mean, our stuff up to our room. As we're hauling all of the suitcases to the elevator, I decide I need to let Buffy know how I feel about all her crap. Again. Just for the sake of being the annoying little sister.  
  
"Can just say one more time how incredibly BAD you are at the light packing thing Buffy? I mean we're here for two weeks right. What all could you possibly need? I mean there's the swimsuit, the basic clothes, the camera"  
  
"Maybe the weapons? Yeah I think you're forgetting the weapons." Buffy gripes back. "Hello. Me. Slayer. So I need weapons, just in case. So just shut up Dawn."  
  
"Well," I say. "Somebody certainly is cranky today. Did you forget to take your happy pill?"  
  
"Watch it Dawn or so help me God I'll come after you."  
  
"Yo girls," Willow says exasperatedly. "Calm down. I think we're all just tired and hungry. Let's just drop our stuff in the room and we can take a walk and get something to eat. Then we can all be happy again and no blood needs to be shed."  
  
"Yeah." Tara agrees. "Let's walk to that Crashdown place. It looks like it could be fun. Maybe we an meet up with some of the locals."  
  
"Oh!" Willow exclaims. "And maybe they can tell us stories about the aliens and how their grandfather helped perform the autopsy."  
  
"Or maybe," Buffy whispers, "We might actually meet an alien."  
  
"Here it is," I say. "Room 214. Maybe there's an alien waiting for us. He better watch out though because I'll fight him for the toilet."  
  
We drop our stuff on the beds and get a little settled in. By the time we're headed down Main Street we're all laughing again. The huge sign for the Crashdown Café glares in the distance and I take off running.  
  
"Race you." I yell over my shoulder.  
  
"Hey no fair." Tara shouts. "You got a head start."  
  
They all take off after me. By the time we reach the door, all of us but Buffy are out of breath and we're all giggling.  
  
"Um guys," Willow says. "It looks kind of empty. Do you think it's still open."  
  
"Well the sign on the door says open until 10:00 and it's only six so it has to be."  
  
"Thank God." Buffy says as we walk inside. "I'm starving."  
  
As we walk into the dining area, eight heads turn and stare at us.  
  
"What do you want." This comes from a guy with really bad hair sitting at the table. Well, rude much?  
  
****  
  
Well Michael. What lovely manners you have. Liz and I both stand up and rush over to the group that just walked in the door.  
  
"I'm sorry about him," I say. "He only gets let out of the home three times a year so he's a little lacking in social graces."  
  
"Welcome to the Crashdown," Liz says ever so smoothly. "What can we do for you?"  
  
"We were kind of hoping for dinner. Are you still serving?" This from the girl with the long blonde hair. She's pretty, I think. I turn to Michael and can tell from the look on his face that he thinks so too. Suddenly I'm having Courtney flashbacks. Not good. So not good.  
  
"Yeah we serve until 10:00," Liz answers. "Take a seat anywhere and I'll bring you some menus."  
  
"Thanks. We'd appreciate that."  
  
Michael, the bastard, is still gawking at her. Could he be any more obvious?  
  
"Michael." I say. "Go back to the kitchen and warm up the grill."  
  
Good thinking Maria. Get him as far away from her as possible. I'm good, I think smugly and mentally give myself a pat on the back. I follow Liz behind the counter and fill four glasses of water and put them on a tray.  
  
"Let's do this table together. Okay Liz? I'm bored and it'll give me something to do. I'm not sure if I can handle another game of Go Fish. Besides I don't recognize them. Do you?"  
  
Liz shakes her head.  
  
"Cool. Well maybe they're new in town. Doesn't matter. Even if they're just tourists they're new blood."  
  
"I don't know Maria. It's not a good idea to talk to people we don't know. How do we know they're not, well you know."  
  
"God Lizzie. They're not well you know. They're four normal girls and they're probably nice. Can't we just meet new people for once and not let the pod squad make us paranoid. We don't have to tell them anything. It'd just be nice to talk to someone who isn't my Mom, Sean, the Sheriff or one of us. In case you hadn't noticed nobody at school talks to us and it would be nice to"  
  
"Okay Maria. Calm down. I'm not saying we can't talk to them. We just have to be careful. That's all."  
  
"Sorry. I'm just so used to Spaceboy and his general paranoia. I guess it's just getting to me."  
  
"It's okay Ria. Let's go help them."  
  
We walk over to their table arm in arm.  
  
"Hey. I'm Maria and this is Liz. Can we get you anything to drink while you're looking at the menu?"  
  
"I'll have a cherry coke please."  
  
"Make that four."  
  
"I'll get those Maria."  
  
"Thanks." I look at the four faces staring up at me. There's the pretty one Michael was oggling. Then there's a perky little red head smiling back at me and to her right is a shy looking girl with sandy blonde hair. The young one looks a little out of place but I think she might be related to the pretty one. They have the same nose. Who ever they are, they seem close. They kind of give off what my mom would call an aura. They seem like they've been through stuff together. Kind of like my friends and me. Well not exactly like us because you know aliens and all but they seem close. That's all I'm saying. Wow. I spend entirely too much time talking to myself. I need a better social life.  
  
"So," I inquire, "are you new in town or just visiting? Because I don't recognize you and when you live in a town like Roswell it's hard not to know people."  
  
"We're just visiting." This comes from pretty girl. Does no one else in this group speak?  
  
"Oh. Sorry. It's just that we don't get a lot of new people here and we're kind of bored. Sometimes I get a little too excited over new blood." Suddenly, I'm noticing that the four chicas look a little nervous. "I guess I could have said that a little less grossly. It's just that"  
  
"She's Maria. She doesn't often think before she speaks." Isabel, of course Isabel. "I'm Isabel Evans. Welcome to Roswell although I'm not sure how exciting it'll be."  
  
"Nice to meet you Isabel. I'm Buffy Summers. This is my sister Dawn, and our friends Willow and Tara."  
  
"Hey," they all mutter.  
  
Isabel takes charge. She never could quite lose her ice princess routine. "The guy over there with the dark hair and doofy ears is my brother Max."  
  
"Hey guys."  
  
"The blonde is Tess and sitting next to her is Kyle." On command they both raise their arms in a half wave and go back to the card game they're engrossed in.  
  
"Next to Kyle is Alex," she says this with a goofy look on her face. Could she be any dorkier? How cute.  
  
"You've met Liz and Maria. And the guy back in the kitchen is Michael."  
  
Liz brings the drinks out and sets them on the table. "What brings you guys to Roswell," she asks.  
  
"Oh," Willow says with a laugh. "We're looking for aliens."  
  
****  
  
Wow. Could they be any more jumpy? Aliens. It can't be that these people haven't heard that before. Come on. It's Roswell for crying out loud. Area 51. What else is there in this town. A brochure in the hotel lobby even said that they have a crash festival every year. Sunnydale's weird and all, but at least we don't go around celebrating something that never even happened. And if it did. Hello? I mean having a party because a living thing died or got tortured. That's just sick and twisted.  
  
"I bet you hear that a lot huh?" I guess Tara senses the awkwardness and is trying to cover whatever blunder has been made. "Probably sick of it."  
  
"Yeah all the time." Max says. "It's Roswell. What else can we expect?"  
  
There's an odd pause in the conversation, like nobody knows what to say. In an obvious attempt to cover whatever blunder has been made Liz asks, "Um... So where are you guys from?"  
  
"California," Willow answers.  
  
"Los Angeles?" the Isabel girl asks with an excited look on her face. Probably wants to be a model or an actress like half of the known universe. She could probably model. Lord knows she's tall enough.  
  
"No," Buffy says. "Dawn and I used to live there. Trust me it's not all that great. We're all from Sunnydale."  
  
Willow must have noticed the blank expression on Isabel's face. "Don't worry nobody has ever heard of it. There's not much there to hear of."  
  
"Sunnydale?" Liz reiterates.  
  
"Yup." Willow chirps.  
  
"The name sounds familiar, I just can't figure out why."  
  
After Liz says this, I see Buffy get worried face. See, it's the face she makes when her eyes get bigger and she just slightly scrunches her forehead. I think she's being obvious so I do what all good little sisters would do: I kick her under the table.  
  
"Ow!" She yells as she shoves me over, "What was that for?"  
  
Sheesh, sensitive much. I mean it's not like I could have actually hurt her. She's the slayer afterall. Crybaby.  
  
"I think we're ready to order now."  
  
"Okay," Liz says, pulling her pad out of her alien apron. "What can we get for?"  
  
So she takes our orders and brings them back to the cranky boy in the kitchen. I really hope he doesn't spit in our food. He seems like the type that would do something like that. Yuck. The Maria chick is just standing there. What's she doing?  
  
"So what are you guys planning to do while you're here?"  
  
"Oh I don't know. What would you recommend?"  
  
"Um. Let's see. I'd recommend being anywhere but here. Yup. That's what I'd say. Bust since you're here there's always the UFO Museum and all the alien stuff. Like I suppose you could go out to the crash site. Then there's always the desert. There's really not much to do here. We kind of have to make our own fun in Roswell."  
  
At that moment Liz and Michael come out of the kitchen with our orders. "Here you go," she says with her typical Liz smile. "Enjoy."  
  
"Yeah right," Michael mutters. "Enjoy." Then he walks away, but not without first smiling at Buffy and smacking Maria on the back of the head. Hey, he's kind of cute when he smiles. Why is Maria still just standing there? It's kind of creepy. I don't like being watched when I eat.  
  
"Um Maria," Isabel urges. "Why don't you come over and play cards with us again. I think you're scaring them. There's no need to hover."  
  
"Oops. I didn't mean to go all stalker on you. Can I get you guys anything else?"  
  
"Nope," Tara answers. "I think we're good. We know where to find you if we need anything."  
  
"Well enjoy then." And she goes off to join the rest of her friends at the table.  
  
"Well then girls," Buffy chirps. "Let's eat." Silence settles over the table as we all dig into our food.  
  
"Sunnydale!" Liz practically screams from the table in the corner. "I remember why I know that name. It's the place from on the news last year. You remember Ria the one I was telling you about where they had that huge epidemic of larengitis. How weird. I knew it sounded familiar. That is right isn't it?"  
  
****  
  
Wow. Jumpy much girls? I think Buffy almost choked on her food. And leave it to Liz to remember something like that. I mean with all we've been dealing with over the past couple of years, I can hardly remember what's been going on in Roswell. Forget about me remembering what's happening in the rest of the world. Honestly? Sometimes I forget that there is a rest of the world.  
  
"Uh yeah," Willow squeaks while attempting to swallow her food. "I didn't realize we'd made it onto the national news with that."  
  
"Well," Liz blushes. "It wasn't the national news exactly. It was of kind of in this thing that I um..."  
  
"You see," I interrupt. "Our Lizzie's a school nerd. She probably read it on some obscure internet site that only Liz would know about."  
  
"Yeah," Liz says as she whacks me on the arm. "That's it exactly. So did they ever figure out exactly what cause that? Because I did some research and it said that . . ."  
  
"No." Tara says with a sidelong glance at Willow. "They never figured it out. One of the great mysteries of Sunnydale."  
  
"Sorry," Liz whispers. "I was just curious. I'll let you guys get back to your meal."  
  
"Sheesh," Alex mutters. "Is it just me or are they jumpy? Who'd have thought that people would be so skittish about their home town."  
  
"Yeah. I'm not sure I trust them."  
  
"Michael," I say with a grimace. "You don't trust anyone. If it were up to you the four of you would live in the cave with the pods and only come out for food." Okay, so that might be a little bit of an exaggeration. If I were being honest, as opposed to pissed off, I'd admit that he's gotten better at the trust thing over the past two years. He's opened up a lot and is coming dangerously close to being a decent human being, er..alien. But it's a touchy subject with me and Michael. As a matter of fact it's this very subject that has placed us in our current off again phase. "They're harmless. Just a group of normal girls. Well as normal as you can be if you're from California."  
  
"I hate to say this you guys, but Maria's right." Oh my gosh, hell must have just frozen over because Isabel Evans just agreed with me. I'll have to make sure to mark this day on my calendar. "Maybe we can even be friendly and see if they want to hang out with us. I mean, I can remember a time when I did more than just hang out with you guys."  
  
"Thank you Princess Isabel for gracing us with your presence. We are honored."  
  
"Shut up Alex. You know that's not what I meant."  
  
"Excuse me," I look up to see Willow walking over to our table. Liz and I both jump to our feet.  
  
"What can I do for you?" We say in unison then look at each other and laugh.  
  
"Oh well we're done with the eating now. We were kind of hoping we could get our bill."  
  
"That was quick. Wasn't it good enough? Michael!" Liz starts to yell in a panic, but Willow just puts her hand on Liz's arm and says "Oh no don't! It was great. Our tummies thank you. It's just, um, gone. We ate at superhuman speed that's all."  
  
"Oh good. Do you want dessert? We have great pie."  
  
"Thanks but I think we're all full. If we eat any more, we're likely to explode which would be a very not pretty thing to see. So could we just get our bill?"  
  
"Don't worry about it," Liz says with a smile. "It's on the house."  
  
"No! You can't do that. We wouldn't want to get you in trouble."  
  
"No trouble. My parents own the place. Trust me they won't care. It's not like you ate a ton of food. Are you sure about dessert?"  
  
"Positive. Thanks a lot. This is cool. Free food is a definite good thing." As she walks back to the table, Willow turns around. "Oh and don't worry about the school nerd thing. I'm one too. Maybe we could talk about some stuff while we're here. I've been reading some cool stuff about this really cool computer at the University of New Mexico-Las Cruces..."  
  
Liz hesitates, "Yeah sure. That'd be cool."  
  
"You guys," Tess yells. "Since you're done eating, you wanna play cards? We could use some fresh blood."  
  
There they go again. Getting all skittish. I guess they're all just squeamish.  
  
"Why not," Buffy shrugs. "We don't have anything else planned."  
  
An hour and a half later, they're still here and I'm getting cranky. I'm sorry. This can't be happening. I think they're flirting. Ick. And when did he get to be a good flirt? I mean I can actually tell that he's flirting. When we were at the flirting stage (which was a very short stage for us) I could never quite tell the difference between when he was flirting and when he was just being a jerk. With Michael it can be a fine line sometimes. But now.... Now he's genuinely flirting. He's being charming and witty and... where's my Michael? What has little miss Buffy with the doe eyes and buff arms done to my Michael? She has no business flirting with him. She's too old for him. Besides what could litle miss Buffy know about dealing with the intricacies of my spaceboy? Well he's not mine exactly, but still Bufy couldn't handle it if she found out about Michael. She'd probably run out of here screaming. Not that that would be a bad thing or anything....  
  
He keeps looking at me. Yeah boy. You think I don't notice you stealing those little looks over here to see if I notice. Whatever. Like I care what you do. She can giggle at you all she wants. Doesn't bother me at all. Watch her turn out to be another skin like Courtney. It'd serve you right. Wait. She's touching him. Her little grimy Buffy paws reached over and shoved him playfully aside. Subtle much? Come on Michael show her your stuff. Don't let her push you around. You never let me do that. What! Don't just laugh at her as she tosses her hair to the side. Hair that is obviously from a bottle.  
  
Okay, I can't take this anymore. I need to get out of here for a little while. It's too painful to watch. Michael... flirting. Hmph.  
  
**** 


	5. Chapter 5

****  
  
Once upon a time in a land that seems millions of miles away, I was Queen C of Sunnydale. Girls adored me, boys worshipped me and I hated everyone. That was a lifetime ago. Well, okay. It was really only around three years ago but it might as well be a lifetime. Now I'm just Cordelia Chase. Cordy to some. In L.A. nobody adores me or worships me. Nobody even knows who I am. I float unnoticed through the sea of people just like everyone else. Months can go by and still I go unnoticed. In my former life, that was unthinkable. In this life, I'm surprisingly okay with that. Sure there are times when I want to tell a sales clerk "Hell? I'm Cordelia Chase. You can't talk to me like that. Especially in that shade of lipstick." But for the most part I'm happy being a normal girl.  
  
Well okay so I'm not exactly normal. How many people can say they grew up on a Hellmouth? How many people even know what a Hellmouth is? Not so many. Sure, I work for a vampire. And if that's not weird enough I work for the only vampire with a soul. Who happens to be in love with the vampire slayer. So what if my job happens to be for a detective agency that specializes in problems of the demonic nature? I don't have a problem with that. Oh yeah, I also get visions. Painful, brain sucking visions. But who's complaining? Not me! Who am I to deprive Angel (that's soul boy) of his connection to the Powers That Be? Did I mention that I live with a ghost?  
  
Anyway, I work for Angel Investigations. Together Angel, Wesley, Gunn and I work to save people from all kinds of crazy monsters. We've actually gotten pretty good at all of this saving the world stuff. Not so good at the getting paid part, but lately we've actually been keeping busy saving ourselves from evil.  
  
Right now things are pretty slow. Kind of good for me because these visions are I blindingly painful. They feel kind of like someone is cracking my skull open with an ice pick and tap dancing on my brain. I haven't had a vision in three whole days. It's the closest I'll get to a vacation in a good long time. Maybe if I close my eyes and put my imagination in full denial mode, I can make believe that I'm in the South of France surrounded by beautiful French men.  
  
"Cordy? Cordelia! Hello? Can you come back to us on planet Earth please. We need to talk to you about something."  
  
"Oh hi Angel." I turn to face Angel, Wes and Gunn. They're all looking at me like I've sprouted a third eye. Again. "I didn't hear you guys come in. How was it with the killing of the vampires?"  
  
"No problem." Gunn answers. "The vamps were being dumb. It was an easy kill. You okay Cody? You look kind of…."  
  
"Oh my God." I reach up and smooth out my hair. " Is my hair crazy?"  
  
"Oh no Cordelia. I think, perhaps, what Gunn was going to say is that you look a little disoriented."  
  
"Huh? Do I really? Nope. I'm fine. See? This is my fine face. I was just daydreaming. That's all."  
  
"Are you sure? Did you have a vision? Because if you did, you really need to tell us."  
  
"Sheesh Angel. Hover much? No I didn't have a vision. Still blissfully vision free. Don't you think that I would have called if I had a vision? Not to mention the excruciating pain that would be mine. No vision. Just daydreaming about a life that will never be mine. What's up guys? What needs to be discussed?"  
  
"Those vampires."  
  
"What about them? They're dust right? What more is there to talk about?"  
  
"Well Cordy," Wesley cuts in. "They were being extremely careless. They were parading down a street that is well know to be regularly patrolled by Gunn's old gang, and they were paying no mind to their surroundings."  
  
"So? They're gone right? Who cares if they weren't the sharpest crayons in the box? As long as there is one less gang of vamps in the world, we've done our job. The world is a happier place to be. Can I go now? If I get home soon, I can pretend like the idea that I actually have a life isn't as unlikely as life on other planets."  
  
"Sorry Cordy." Angel always looks at me with such exasperation. "We think that it might mean something. We have to do research. And umm…"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I think what Angel was trying to say is that we were thinking that possibly…"  
  
"Yo Cordelia. We were hoping that the PTB would send you a vision."  
  
"Of course you were. Why wouldn't you want Cordy to have the brain sucking pain? Oh how my life is so not pathetic. Fine I'll stay, but were gonna to order pizza with my toppings."  
  
"Thank you Cordelia." Oops. I didn't mean to make Angel feel guilty. His guilty face is about as appealing as he "grrr" face. He already feels bad enough about the effect the visions have on me. I don't know why. It's not really his fault. I blame Doyle or those damn Powers That Be.  
  
"It's okay Angel. I was just kidding. Well mostly kidding. I don't mind staying. My only plans were to go home and fight with Phantom Dennis over the remote control."  
  
"Thanks Cordy."  
  
"Yes Cordelia. We appreciate willingness to help."  
  
"Hey Wes, not a problem. I'm vision girl. It's okay. It's why you pay me. So what should we do while we wait? We can't just sit around and wait for me to get a vision. Makes me all antsy like."  
  
"As much as I hate to suggest this," Gunn jumps in, "but there's always research."  
  
"But what exactly do we look up?" I ask. "Dumb vampires and possible causes? It's not like that's so unusuaaahh." And my world goes black while the pain rips through me.  
  
A few minutes later, I'm lying on the ground with all three guys huddled around me. The thing about the visions is that I don't think anyone understands is that I don't remember much afterwards. My head fills with images and that's all I see. Usually when I "wake up" I remember very little about how I got there. "Well," I laugh. "So much for the pizza."  
  
"Cordy," Angel inquires. "What is it? What did you see?"  
  
The thing about my vision? I'm not sure I want to tell Angel what I really saw. No good can come from it. But he's looking anxiously at me and I can tell he's more concerned about my pain than with what I saw. I can't lie to him, and I really don't want to. Besides I'm an awful liar and don't want to send my boys off on some wild goose chase.  
  
"Okay Angel," I answer. "Before I tell you, you have to promise me something."  
  
"Anything Cordelia. Just tell me."  
  
"Be rational. Be calm. Be collected. Let's not overreact. Here we go. My vision?" I pause and look at him looking at me. I guess he's ready. "It's Buffy."  
  
**** 


	6. Chapter 6

****  
  
I have this wacky feeling that we're going to be spending a lot of time at the Crashdown. We've spent the past two nights hanging out with the people here. Personally? I just don't get the appeal. Sure the food is good, but even my fourteen year old brain can tell that's not why we keep coming here. Buffy spends her time flirting with Micahel. Can I just say "eeeww." He's like three years younger than her and what is it with the hair. Plus he's got this I hate the world attitude. I'm just not seeing the attraction. Maybe she's just horny. If Buffy could have a good boink fest, then maybe we can have some real fun on this vacation.  
  
Willow has spent the past two nights holed up in the corner booth waxing academic with Liz and Max. I tried to sit with then last night, but it was all computer talk and it gave me a headache. I hung out with Tara and Kyle and Tess for a little while but you can only play so many card games before you get sick of it. Plus Tara and Maria are deep into some conversation about herbal remedies. God! Why don't I have any friends my own age?  
  
Here I sit, eating my cheeseburger and twidling my thumbs. I'd so rather be swimming.  
  
"Hey."  
  
"Oh hey." Startled, I look up and see Alex grinning down at me.  
  
"Scootch over?"  
  
"Sure. Okay." This is a little strange for me. I'm not exactly sure what I should say. "Um…. What's up?"  
  
"Not much. As per usual. How you liking our lovely town of Roswell."  
  
"It's nice."  
  
"Yeah nice. Like the dentist." I can't help but laugh. He's kind of cute. He seems goofy too. Kinda like Xander. Oh, I miss Xander. "You seem like you've been ditched."  
  
"I have. Buffy's busy flirting. Willow's talking to Liz and Max and Tara is over with Maria."  
  
"Don't feel too bad. I get ditched all the time. Get this. I was in Sweden for a full month, and I don't think any of them," he pauses as he throws his head in the direction of his friends, "noticed I was gone until I got back."  
  
"Sweden huh?" What were you doing in Sweden?"  
  
"Why I was wooing all of the Svedish women yah. Making them my love slaves." I can't help but giggle. He's so Xanderlike. "Seriously though. Don't worry about it. Liz tends to get caught up when she talks about school. Lord knows why." He says with a crinkle of his nose. "Maria's just happy that she's finally found someone else who buys into all of her new age mojo. And Micahel? You should be proud that your sister managed to make him social. Even if it is in a sick and twisted way."  
  
"You noticed too?"  
  
"Oh yeah. You'd have to be blind as a bat and deaf as my grandmother not to notice."  
  
"Is it just me or is there an ick factor there?"  
  
"Oh no. Not just you. Definite ick factor."  
  
"Ick factor where?"  
  
"Hey Is." Alex suddenly has stars in his eyes. "Have a seat?"  
  
"Thanks." She answers as she scoots into the booth next to Alex. "But ick factor where?"  
  
"Buffy and Michael." I say hesitantly. I don't know why, but Isabel kind of scares me. Not so much scares I guess as intimidates. She doesn't seem to smile a whole lot.  
  
"Don't worry about that." She says with a grimace. "Michael's just trying to make Maria jealous. It's working too. She keeps giving them death glares and did you see the way she stormed out of here the other night?" She shakes her head with a laugh. "How many times have I told that girl never let them see you sweat. Don't let him win the game. But does she listen to me? Of course not." Turning to face me she finsihes. "Dawn, that's your name right?"  
  
"Uh huh."  
  
"I beg of you. Never let a boy see you sweating him. Always be calm. Always be collected. Trust me it works."  
  
"Okay." I answer. Maybe she's not so bad after all.  
  
"Good." She glances over her shoulder and looks at Maria. For the moment, Maria seems to have lost interest in her conversation with Tara. All of her attention has drifted across the café to a far corner booth where Buffy and Michael sit. If looks could kill, both of them would be dead. Really dead. Isabel refocuses her attention to me. "Please don't end up like her."  
  
**** 


	7. Chapter 7

****  
  
My attention has like so drifted away from Tara and over to Spaceboy and blondie. I know I'm giving them death glares. I have never wished like I'm wishing now that I could have some of the Pod Sqaud's powers. But boy oh boy are those two lucky that I don't because I would be so Firestarter right now.  
  
"I-I wouldn't worry about that if I were you."  
  
Tara's voice draws me out of my mental killing of Michael. Too bad too because in my head I was having fun torturing him before I killed him. He was crying and everything. "Worry about what?"  
  
"Them."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"You know who I'm talking about. Are you really going to make me say it?" I just stare at her, refusing to answer. "Okay I guess you are. B-buffy and Michael and their very not subtle flirting."  
  
"Oh them. They're not bothering me. They can do whatever they want."  
  
"Did anyone ever tell you that you're a lousy liar Maria? Because, really, you're not at all convincing." Oh if she only knew how good a liar I've become in the past two years. "I can tell that there's something going on between the two of you. He's always looking over at you trying to see if you see what he's doing."  
  
"There's nothing going on between us." And once upon a time I lived in the land of denial where I was princess over everything. "Michael's a big boy. If he wants to throw himself at bimbo over there. Shit Tara. I didn't mean that. I mean I don't even know her. I'm out of control here."  
  
"That's okay," she says with a laugh. "Loves makes you do the wacky. I know you didn't mean anything by it. So what exactly is going on with the two of you?"  
  
"Oh you mean me and Michael? Nothing except that he's a bastard who apparently likes to use me whenever he needs a warm body and some smoochies."  
  
"I don't know Maria. Those looks he gives you kind of give me the impression that there's more to the story. So why don't you give it to me once more, with feeling."  
  
I look over at Michael and Buffy over in the booth. They're still doing the five year old googly eyes flirty thing. The I turn and look at Tara. She's looking at me so earnestly and I can tell that she sincerely wants to listen to my Michael crap. I think about how nice it would be to talk to someone new about this stuff. I really want to tell her, but I know I can't. It's not my secret to tell. Not really.  
  
"It's complicated. He's complicated."  
  
"Maybe I could help. I know a little about complicated."  
  
"Not this kind of complicated, but thanks anyway."  
  
"Come on Maria. Give me something here. You don't have to give me all the details, but give me something."  
  
This girl never gives up, does she? "Fine. Here's the Reader's Digest version. I love him. He loves me. In the end, I guess we're just too different to be together."  
  
"Maybe it'll work out in the end," she says with sympathy. "People change and maybe you guys can work out the differences."  
  
If only you knew, I want to say. I want to say can you make him not an alien. Do you think he'll grow out of that? But I don't. Instead I answer with "Yeah maybe, but I doubt it."  
  
"Well just so you know, Buffy's not serious about what she's doing. She's just blowing off some steam with the flirting and Michael seems to be doing the same thing."  
  
"She better not hurt him." I say it without thinking. It just falls out of my mouth and I wish I could take it back. Sound like the desperate ex- girlfriend much Maria?  
  
"Don't worry Maria. I think Michael can take care of himself. I just think you should know that Buffy has complications of her own. She just went through some really stressful stuff and I think this flirting thing is just a form of release for her. She's not normally like this."  
  
"Well then. I'm relieved."  
  
"I told you. Don't worry."  
  
"I'm sorry, but I can't help it. I mean she's this pretty, new, older woman. Why wouldn't Michael want to?"  
  
"Seriously Maria. Buffy's not looking to start anything with anybody. Especially a younger guy who lives nowhere near her. Besides she's not exactly available."  
  
"She has a boyfriend?"  
  
"Well not exactly, but she's kind of emotionally involved. There's this one guy she can't seem to shake."  
  
"What? Is he a stalker or something?"  
  
"Oh no, it's nothing like that. He doesn't even live in Sunnydale anymore. In fact, I've never even met him."  
  
"So what's the deal? What's his name?"  
  
"Let's just say they had irreconciable differences. At least that's what Willow tells me. I guess they were pretty deeply involved and Buffy has never quite gotten over him. And his name? His name's…."  
  
At that moment we're interrupted by a pounding on the front door. I get up to answer, ready to do some yelling. The pounding continues and now I'm pissed. Jesus people. Rude much? Can't you see that we're closing in an hour? I mean sure we locked up a little early, but can you blame us? It was pretty dead. And how come nobody else is doing anything about the obnoxious pounding? Nobody else is even looking up. I look out the front door and see a beautiful man who looks quite irritated. A cute brunette stands next to him and she looks like she's trying to calm him down. She's saying something to him, but I can't hear it through the glass. I reach up to unlock the door and beautiful boy looks up and notices me. He gives me a look that says "hurry up" and I give him a look back that says "oh yeah buddy you may be pretty but that's no excuse to be rude."  
  
I pull the door open and say, "Jesus. Sorry but do you know what patience is?"  
  
He shoves past me and storms into the dining area. "I'm looking for Buffy."  
  
She jumps out of the booth with a look unlike many I've seen before. "Angel?"  
  
***** 


	8. Chapter 8

*****  
  
This isn't exactly what I had in mind when I asked Angel not to overreact. I was kind of hoping for something more along the lines of a phone call. Last time there was a vision that involved Buffy and Angel went a-running things didn't go over so well. There was deception and fighting all topped off with a truckload of heartbreak. Welcome to the fun that is the Buffy and Angel show. Besides, I told Angel a thousand and three times that my vision didn't show what big bad was going after Buffy. Not like that helped. Now I sit in a rented van with Angel driving to Roswell, New Mexico. Wes and Gunn stayed back in LA to help the paying clients. Plus we figured they could help with the research.  
  
It's a good thing this Buffy vision happened at night because it lets Angel drive the first leg of the trip. Like a maniac. Did I say that he's driving like a maniac?  
  
"Angel," I say through my teeth. "We can't do anything for Buffy if we're DEAD. Well, I'd be dead. You'd just be without transportation and then dead when the sun comes up and you don't have a van to hide in the back of." The van cuts across three lanes of traffic, and my stomach falls even further down my leg as we barley miss plowing down a guy on a motorcycle. "Angel! Watch it. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. Maybe my vision was wrong. Maybe it wasn't Buffy after all. I think we should just turn around and head back to the Hyperion. If the PTB really want us to help Buffy, they'll just send me another vision." I look up at the sky and add, "And when you do, could you guys make a little less with the vagueness?"  
  
"We're going Cordelia. Are you sure that it was in Roswell?"  
  
I think I've pissed him off. I didn't mean to. He probably thinks I just don't want to help Buffy. Spoiled little Cordy would jump at the chance to see the love of his life die. It's not like that. I want to help Buffy. I like Buffy. Really I do. I just never really expressed it well. Mostly I'm just worried about what seeing Buffy will do to Angel. When he came back from Joyce's funeral Angel went into full on broody boy mode for almost a week. That was only after being with her for eight hours. I can only imagine what he'll be like after this little excursion, and I just don't want him to have to go through that unless it's absolutely necessary.  
  
"Cordelia! Answer me. Are you sure what you saw in your vision was Roswell?"  
  
"Yes Angel. I'm sure. Aliens, UFOs and all that stuff." I turn to look at him. He's driving with such determination. I hurt for him. I can't imagine what it's like to love someone that much. At least not that kind of love. "I'm going to sleep now. The sun's gonna be up in a few hours and have to be awake to drive."  
  
"Fine. I'll wake you in a little while."  
  
I lay my head against the window and close my eyes. The cool glass feels good on the remnants of my vision hangover. I'm just about to drift off when I feel Angel's hand on my shoulder.  
  
"Cordy?"  
  
"Yeah Angel?"  
  
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…"  
  
"'Sokay." I mumble as I reach up and lay my hand over his. "I understand." Then I drift into sleep.  
  
Doyle. I was dreaming of Doyle with his bad hair and smiling eyes and his stupid stories. I think he was trying to tell me something, but Angel woke me up. I haven't dreamed of Doyle in such a long time.  
  
"Cordy," he says. "Wake up. Sun's gonna be up and I don't want to fry."  
  
It takes a few seconds for the sleep haze to lift but when I look out the window I see we're at a gas station. "Where are we?"  
  
"Not exactly sure. Somewhere between LA and Roswell."  
  
"That's great Angel. Okay get in the back. There's blankets you can hide under if the sun from the front windows starts to get to you. There's also blood in the cooler. In case you get, like, hungry. I'm gonna run in and use the bathroom and grab some food."  
  
Ten minutes later I'm back in the van, snack food in hand. As I sit behind the wheel, I look back at Angel. He's huddled in the back corner and he's got broody face on. I want to say something to him, to tell him it'll be okay, but I have a feeling that whatever I say won't be helpful. I reach down to find the directions that we printed off of Mapblast. Once I get my bearings, I pull the van into the street and start driving. This is gonna be some trip.  
  
"Cordelia?"  
  
"Yeah Angel?"  
  
"Are you sure we shouldn't call Giles? At least Giles will be able to tell us where she's staying and maybe he could help with the research?"  
  
"I told you Angel. We can't call Giles when the only info we have is my very unclear vision. It'd only worry him and right now there's nothing he can do to help. Besides, we have Wesley to help with the research once we actually have something to research. That's part of the reason he stayed back in LA. Now go to sleep. You need to be rested so you can help Buffy fight whatever big bad is out there."  
  
"Fine. 'Night."  
  
"Goodnight Angel."  
  
  
  
Four hours later Angel is still sleeping and I decide to call Giles anyway. I figure I can call him with some stupid story and find out where Buffy is staying. At least it will save us the extra step of searching all the hotels in Roswell. I reach down and grab my cell phone out of my bag and dial the number for Sunnydale information.  
  
"Um yes," I say in a forced whisper. Do you have any idea how hard it is to whisper in the presence of vampire super hearing? "I'd like the number to the Magic Box." Thank god Willow told us about Giles' store. "Yes, thank you. You can just connect me through."  
  
As the phone rings, I mutter a little plea in my head. Hopefully, Giles will be there. Well why wouldn't he be there? Buffy is out of town. What other life does he have?  
  
"The Magic Box. How can I help you?"  
  
"Oh thank God. Giles?"  
  
"Yes this is Rupert Giles? Who is this?"  
  
"It's Cordelia, Giles."  
  
"Oh. Well hello Cordelia. It's lovely to hear from you. Is something wrong? What can I help you with? Is it Angel?" He sounds a little panicked and I can't help but mutter a little told you so to Angel in my head. This is why I didn't want to tell Giles about my vision.  
  
"Oh no it's nothing like that. Angel's fine. We're all fine. I was just calling because I need to talk to Buffy."  
  
"Why do you need to talk to Buffy?" I can't help but laugh at the shock in his voice. Was I really that awful to her when I was in Sunnydale? Yeah, I guess I was. Well, it's not like she was a peach to me either.  
  
"It's nothing Giles. I just need to ask her a favor. You see I need to get a present for Angel and I don't know what I should get him. I figured who better to ask than the love of his life. Right? When I called her house, nobody answered. Can you tell me where she is?"  
  
"Well I suppose she wouldn't mind if I told you. She and the girls took a well deserved vacation to Roswell, New Mexico."  
  
"Really?" I do my best surprised voice. Those acting classes really come in handy sometimes. "That's an interesting vacation spot. Can you tell me the name of the hotel they're staying at?"  
  
"Certainly. It's the Holiday Inn Express. If you wait one moment I think I can find the number for you."  
  
"That's okay Giles. I can call information. Thanks for the help. You just made my shopping trip twenty times easier. It was good talking to you."  
  
"Yes it was. Goodbye Cordelia."  
  
"Bye." As I hang up the phone, I give myself a mental pat on the back. That was good thinking on my part. I just saved us at least a half an hour when we get to Roswell. Turning my head, I see that Angel is still asleep. It's kind of creepy how dead he looks when he sleeps. Well, I guess that would be because he technically is dead. It's funny how I forget that most of the time. Not funny ha-ha. Funny, ironic. Reaching down I turn the volume up on the radio and then put my foot down a little harder on the gas pedal. It's time to get this show on the road.  
  
  
  
Six hours later, Angel is up and he's getting very antsy. We just passed a sign that said Roswell, 12 miles.  
  
"Pull over. Let me drive. We're never going to get there at the speed you're driving."  
  
"Excuse me mister, but I've been well above speeding the whole time I've been driving. Did I mention that it's been a little over 10 hours that I've been driving? My butt is numb and me right leg is cramped. Serves me right for letting you rent the van. You just had to get the one with no cruise control because it saves you ten dollars a day. My friend the cheapskate. Well get there when we get there. And with me driving we'll get there in one piece."  
  
"Fine."  
  
"Listen boyo. Don't be getting all grry on me. I don't need that attitude. I'll forgive it this once because I know you're worried. But only this once." I look at him out of the corner of my mind. At least I got a smile out of him. "Look Angel." I point to the right-hand side of the road to a big sign that says Welcome to Roswell. "We're here."  
  
"Great. Now all we have to do is find out where they're staying."  
  
"Taken care of. They're at the Holiday Inn Express."  
  
"How'd you do that?"  
  
"Oh, I have my ways."  
  
"Come on Cordy. Tell me." He starts to say something else but he gets distracted as we pass this cafe with a huge sign that says Crashdown Cafe. He grabs the wheel and turns it into a parking space.  
  
"Jesus Angel." I reach over to smack him as the van come to a halt. "You could have gotten us killed."  
  
"There." He points to the Crashdown. "She's in there."  
  
"How do you know that?"  
  
"I can sense her. Plus I can kind of smell her."  
  
"Ew. Creepy much? Forget I asked. Just let me tell you mister. You'd make one hell of a stalker."  
  
He just shoots one of his looks over his shoulder and jumps out of the van, slamming the door behind him. Oops. I grab my bag, jump out and run to catch up with him. He's pounding at the door to the Crashdown and he looks even more pissed off.  
  
"Um Angel."  
  
"What Cordelia."  
  
"Maybe they're closed."  
  
"No. The sign says they're open until 10 and it's only 9. Besides I told you. I can tell she's in there." He reaches up and pounds on the door again. "God dammit! Open the f…"  
  
"Angel! Stop it." I know there's really no point in trying to calm him down, but I have to at least try. "You have to calm down. The last thing we need is you going all game face on the people in there. That would be oh- so-helpful."  
  
He's stopped listening to me. A little blonde girl is unlocking the door and she looks pretty irritated. Ooh Angel got the waitress pissed off.  
  
She pulls the door open and says, "Jesus. Sorry but do you know what patience is?"  
  
He shoves past her and storms into the dining area. "I'm looking for Buffy."  
  
Buffy jumps out of her booth and says, "Angel?"  
  
Angel runs back to her. "Buffy we need to talk. Is there somewhere we can go?"  
  
She nods, takes him by the hand and pulls him out the door. Great Angel. Leave Cordy to clean up all the awkwardness. "Hey Willow. Hey Dawn. Long time no see." I turn and face the crowd of people around me. "Hey there. I'm Cordelia. Cranky boy was Angel. We heard that Buffy and crew were gonna be in Roswell and we thought we'd come and join them. Now. Who are all of you?"  
  
**** 


	9. Chapter 9

****  
  
There was a time when I thought that it might be possible for the four of us to have a normal vacation. It was working too. Sure I was a little bored, but at least nobody was coming after me and there weren't any of the big scaries for Buffy to fight. Imagine that. Four girls from Sunnydale having a normal vacation, Slayer and all. Well that was so five minutes ago. Everything went to hell in a handbasket when Angel showed up last night. He came with Cordelia and was all like "impending doom, blah, blah, blah." Now our vacation is over. Why you ask? Well nobody knows. Apparently Cordy gets these vision things and she had one of Buffy. Thing is these visions are always of people in trouble, but this particular vision didn't show what thing is after Buffy. We tried telling them we were fine, but it didn't work and now everything is ruined.  
  
"We're staying." Angel had said. "Cordelia doesn't get the visions unless someone's in trouble. We'll just wait until the trouble comes or Cordy has another vision telling us to leave."  
  
"Hello!" Cordelia had added. "We just drove like sixteen hours to get here. Can't hurt to hang around for a little while to see if anything happens."  
  
So last night we introduced Angel and Cordelia to the Crashdown crew. Can I say that Isabel practically went gaga over Angel? It was so obvious that she wanted to throw herself at him. Michael practically growled at Angel. I think he picked up the Buffy-Angel vibe. Please, like he really had a snowball's chance in hell with her. After the oh-so-awkward introductions, Angel and Cordelia decided to come back to the hotel with us. They got rooms and then we all gathered in our room for a meeting because Buffy thought we should make a game plan. It was a short meeting. It's kind of hard to make a game plan when you're not sure what game you're playing. Cordelia and Angel left to go back to their rooms and a few minutes later Buffy left claiming she needed to get some air. Yeah right. She needed to get some Angel "our love is a forbidden love" air. But Willow, Tara and I played along anyway.  
  
She'd been gone for around half an hour and the curiosity was killing me so I grabbed the ice bucket and went on an "ice getting" mission. You know. "ice" isn't so hard to find when you can hear really raised voices coming out of a certain hotel room. I tried listening at the door, but I could only tell that Buffy and Angel seemed to be in the middle of a heated argument. If there were ever a time that I wanted super human powers, it was then.  
  
I had my ear to the door when a voice from behind me scared the crap out of me.  
  
"It's useless, you know."  
  
"Geez Cordelia. You scared me to death."  
  
"Might as well give up. You can't hear anything. I tried listening at my wall and the door and I can't tell anything more than angst. There's definite angst going on in there. Topped with a bit of melodrama. Go to bed Dawn. We just have to accept that we'll never know what's up with them."  
  
"Yeah. I suppose."  
  
"Here," she shoves a bucket of ice into my hands. "When you go to get ice, it's good to come back with said ice."  
  
"Thanks Cordy. G'night."  
  
"Night."  
  
When we woke up this morning, well I guess it was more like early afternoon, we all just kind of stared at each other for awhile. Buffy tried to be all nonchalant about the whole Angel thing, but it just wasn't working. She paced. Back and forth from door to window she walked and it was driving the rest of us crazy.  
  
"Uh Buffy," Willow got up from her resting spot on the chair and gently grabbed her by the arm, stopping her in her tracks. "Sweetie you have to stop this. You're driving the rest of us nuts. Besides what did the carpet ever do to you?"  
  
Buffy seemed to be just as confused as the rest of us by her comment and she tilted her head to the side with a confused look on her face. "Huh? What carpet?"  
  
"The carpet under your feet. You know the poor carpet that you're wearing down with the pacing. You killed it dead."  
  
My sister, never one who believed in subtlety, throws herself on across the bed and screams. "UGH! I hate this. Why can't my life be normal?"  
  
Oh I know this one. With what even I will admit is a snotty tone, I say. "Maybe because you're a freak."  
  
Buffy bolts upright on the bed and is about ready to launch herself at me when I am I saved by the proverbial bell. Or in this case, a knock on the door. Somehow my loving sister manages to pry her arm back from its position precariously close to my face to answer the door. "Just a second," she shouts and pauses to look back at me. "You are so lucky." She pulls the door open and is greeted by Cordelia who is kind of shuffling her feet and glancing around the empty corridor in very un-Cordy like fashion. If I didn't know any better I'd think she was nervous or something.  
  
"Hi Cordelia. What's up?" Buffy inquires.  
  
"Oh Buffy!" She jumps back, a little startled. "You scared me. I didn't hear the door open."  
  
Buffy looks just as confused as I am by this seemingly softer side of Cordelia and for a moment she just stands there starting at her. Then she remembers her manners and pulls the door open wider, inviting Cordelia in. "Come on in. What can we do for you today."  
  
Cordy walks in the room, takes a brief glance around and seats herself on the edge of the bed. Turning to face all of us, she takes a deep breath before she begins what I can only assume is a pre-planned speech. "Look you guys. I'm sorry that we just barged in on your vacation. I know how hard it must be for you guys to have any chance at being normal and I'm sorry my vision ruined it for you. I'm especially sorry that we seemed to have ruined it for no apparent reason, seeing as how you're all here and there seems to be no trouble." She pauses for a moment and a look of utter confusion passes over her face before she continues. "Which is strange, you know, because I never have these visions for no reason. They always mean something, always. Otherwise, really, I wouldn't put up with the mind sucking pain." Okay. She's really beginning to stop with the sense making now. What's she talking about?  
  
"Okay Cordy," she says to herself, but outloud. "Enough with the rambling. I'm just trying to say that I'm sorry we barged in on your vacation. It's just that I'm using too many words. There's just one more thing I have to say and then I'll leave." Shifting on the bed, she looks Buffy in the eyes. "I'm sorry we did this to you. I'm sure it can't be easy to have him around. Okay. I'm leaving now."  
  
Before she can get up, Willow stops her. "Wait Cordy. Don't leave. You can hang out with us for a while if you want to. I mean, I'm sure Angel's still sleeping, so you've gotta be kind of bored. Oh! And by the way. You? Showing up here? Not with the ruining of the vacation. We can play catch up. Like a slumber party in high school. Except there aren't any demons to research and you're not being all bitchy." Wills catches what she just said and clamps her hand over her mouth.  
  
For a brief moment, the room is dead silent. We're all waiting for Queen C to rear her ugly head. Boy oh boy are we all agape when Cordy just smiles and says, "It's okay Willow. You're just speaking the truth and who am I to keep anyone from telling it like it is. Cause really. Pot? Meet the kettle."  
  
With that, we all burst into a fit of laughter. I'm not sure what we think is so funny, but it can't be helped. Even Tara who had only heard Cordelia stories, never experienced her wrath first hand, collapsed onto the bed. It takes a few seconds but eventually we compose ourselves. Buffy, who is lying on the floor with her hand clutching her stomach, sighs and says, "Yeah Cordy. Stay. We can catch up. I'm sure we all have lots of fun stories to share."  
  
From her position on the bed, Cordy tries not to start laughing again. "Oh yeah. Funness, meet us." Propping her head up on her hand, Cordy looks around at us once more. "Seriously, I'd love to stay. Angel actually is awake, but he's driving me crazy. Keeps going off about some strange dream he had last night and I'm sick of hearing about it. Boy's driving me crazy. Besides it'd be nice to have some girls to talk to. I'm usually drowning in the testosterone."  
  
"You know guys," Willow chimes in. "I hate to be the one to bring this up, but we could just go home. I mean if something really is after Buffy then it might be better if we were on our home turf. Plus Giles is there. He can help with the research."  
  
"No." Cordy answers matter-of-factly. "There will be no going home. If something happens, it's gonna happen here and I get the feeling that you can't just run away from it. Anyways Angel would just follow you guys and I'm really not up for another car ride with him. At least not for a little bit. You think he was dangerous as Angelus? Try taking a long distance road trip with him."  
  
"Okay then," Buffy answers. "No leaving. I don't know about you guys but I'm sick to death of just sitting here. Anyone else hungry?" All four of our heads nod in affirmation. "Okay then. Let's go to the Crashdown."  
  
"Oh yay!" I can't help but exclaim. "Men in blackberry pie, here I come."  
  
We all grab our stuff and head out the door. "Just a second," Cordelia turns down the hallway heading back to her room. "I have to run a grab some shoes," she points to her socked feet. "Cause barefeet? Not really conducive to eating out. Plus I have to tell Angel where I'm going so he can meet up with us later if he wants. The boy needs some time alone so he can make friends with his sanity again. I'll be back in a few."  
  
"Hurry Cordy!" I whine, "I'm starving."  
  
**** 


	10. Chapter 10

****  
  
So I'd been keeping pretty busy at the Crashdown today. The first five hours of my shift were so busy that I'd barely had time to pee, but it finally slowed down enough that I could take a break. I headed into the kitchen the kitchen to grab some food and this is what I walked into.  
  
"Isabel!" Max looks really pissed off. "I told you no dreamwalking. Especially on him."  
  
"Come on Max. Aren't you even a little bit curious about what I saw? I mean it was really strange."  
  
"Um, hi guys," I interject. "I don't mean to interrupt but what the hell are you doing back here?"  
  
"Oh Liz said we could come back here. Max and I needed to talk in private. You know, alien stuff." Isabel stops for a moment and then she gets that look on her face. You know the look. It's the look that screams, I have an idea. Yup. That look. "Hey Maria, would you tell Max that a little dreamwalking never hurt anyone? I mean it didn't hurt you did it?"  
  
"Nah. I was only traumatized for a few short days. No permanent scarring. So who'd ya dreamwalk? I heard you say him. Was it Angel? I wouldn't blame you if you did him." I pause to consider my choice of words. "And didn't that come out wrong. But anyway. He's so tall, dark and broody. Hey Max! You should be curious about what she saw. He's you!"  
  
"Maria. You're not helping at all." Uh oh. Max is pointing his stern face at me.  
  
"Sorry Max."  
  
"But Ma-ax," Isabel whines. "I can't undo what I did so aren't you the least bit curious about what I saw? It was kind of creepy. And after all that we've seen it takes a lot to creep me out. I think it might mean something."  
  
He knows that he'll never win this argument, so Max finally concedes. "Fine. Tell me. Just let it be known that I don't approve of your actions."  
  
"Yeah, yeah." She turns to me and her best important voice says, "Let the record reflect that Max doesn't approve. Yaddy, yadda, ya."  
  
With a quick nod of my head, I consent. "So noted."  
  
"So anyway. Let me first say that Angel? Crazy strange sleep patterns that boy. I tried to get in three times last night and nothing. Nada. Zilch."  
  
"Whatever Is. Just get on with it."  
  
"Would you shut up Max? I'm telling a story. So let me tell it."  
  
"Like I was saying, it was fight to even find him. I guess he must be a night owl or something. No fear though because when I tried again at noon, bingo!"  
  
Okay, now I'm really intrigued. "What goes on in that sexy head of his?"  
  
"Patience, my dear patience." Good lord that girl loves an audience. "It starts out with him and Cordelia goofing off, wrapping what I only guess were Christmas presents. He looked happy. At first, I thought that he was with Cordelia, but then Buffy and this guy with dark hair and an Irish accent came in with like six wild kids in tow. Four of the kids run straight to Angel. They're all giggling and yelling Daddy. Then Buffy walks up to him and they kiss. Oh my god do they kiss. It's a kiss straight out of a John Hughes movie."  
  
"I knew it! Him and Buffy. I could so tell that they crazy sexual tension vibes between them."  
  
"Do you mind? I'm trying to tell a story."  
  
"Sorry Ice Princess," I say and, for effect, add a slight bow. Then, I stick out my tongue.  
  
"Like I was saying, Angel and Buffy were engaging in some pretty major tonsil hockey and then, all of them, Angel, Buffy, Cordelia, McIrish and kids were sitting around a table getting ready to have a huge turkey dinner. Then out of nowhere Angel turned all gross. I swear to you. He had fangs and green glowy eyes and he started to suck their blood. One by one, he killed them all. I think he turned into a vampire. Then there was nothing. Everything was just black."  
  
"So Isabel," Max states from his seat on the counter. "What's your point? He had a creepy dream. That doesn't mean anything."  
  
"No Max. You don't get it. Before everything went black, I think he sensed me."  
  
"What do you mean he sensed you?"  
  
"I don't know. It's like he could tell I was in his head or something, but that's not what I'm concerned about."  
  
"Well you should be. If he sensed you, he could tell someone."  
  
"Tell someone what Max? Ooh. I had a dream and there was this girl in it? But she was just in it, she was in it in it. Like physically there. That would go over well with the crazy people. Don't worry about him noticing me Max. He'll forget soon enough. What freaked me out was the blackness."  
  
Okay, now I'm lost. "So he woke up Isabel. What's the problem? Remember when you dreamwalked me? I woke up pretty fast too."  
  
"No Maria. It's not like that. When people wake up things just don't go black. They get hazy and then I wake up in my own head again. This was different. When everything went black, I was still in his head. It's just that there was nothing there, like he'd just shut his dreams off. Normal people can't do that you guys. You can't just shut off your subconscious."  
  
"So what do you think it means guys?" I ask. I can't help but be a little with the wiggins because of this. Is never gets rattled by the things she sees while on a dreamwalk. The fact that she seems disturbed freaks me out.  
  
"I don't know but…"  
  
The door from the break room to the kitchen bursts open and Angel storms in. If I had to guess, I'd say he's not a happy man. But hey, he's a sexy angry man.  
  
"Hi Angel." I try to be nonchalant, but I'm not thinking that it's coming across. The fact that my voice is shaking can't help.  
  
"Grr." he half growls as he pushes his way past me and ends up in front of Isabel. Face to face. Well, more like nose to nose.  
  
"What were you doing in my head?" He says calmly. A little too calmly is you ask me.  
  
"What are you talking about Angel? I wasn't in your head."  
  
"Don't try the whole coy routine on me. You know damn well what I'm talking about."  
  
"Listen Angel," Max interrupts. "I don't know what your problem with my sister is, but back down."  
  
Angel whips around to face Max. "Stay out of this. I want answers. How do I know that you're not involved in this too?" As he turns back to Isabel, I swear I hear him growl. I must be hallucinating. Where's my cedar oil when I need it? "Tell me what you are and why you were in my head."  
  
"Look Angel," Isabel says with a tinge of ice in her voice. "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just a girl. An eighteen-year-old girl from Roswell, New Mexico. I don't know why you have a problem with me, but obviously you do. Listen, I'll just stay out of your way for the rest of your visit. How's that sound?"  
  
"Unacceptable," Angel nearly roars. He's beginning to lose his cool. "I want answers and I want them now!"  
  
At that moment something happened to him. I was only for a second and then he shook it off, but I swear I saw his eyes turn green. Not happy, sexy green. Ugly, nasty, possessed green. So I did what any normal person would do. I screamed.  
  
**** 


	11. Chapter 11

******  
  
So yeah. Things in Roswell weren't turning out as badly as I thought they would. Once Buffy and crew got over the initial shock of seeing us, as well as Angel's very subtle entrance, they were fun to be around. Sure, there was awkwardness. But why shouldn't there be. It's not like they remember me as one of their favorite people. Come on? I was the uber- bitch of Sunnydale High. They don't know how much I've changed. If they'd acted all happy to see me, then I would have known they were faking it. You don't have to have the vision thing to know that people should be a little leery of the new and improved Cordelia. I'd be leery of me too, if I were them. So awkwardness is okay because at least it's real, and real is good.  
  
The giggle fit in the hotel room loosened us all up and we headed over to the Crashdown to eat. There was a time when I wouldn't have set foot in a place like the Crashdown (please? Cordelia Chase in a diner? Like that would ever happen.) But times are a-changing. I went in without saying a word, not even a quip about the tacky UFO sign even though I so wanted to say something. For once I held my tongue, I needed, no I wanted them to see that I had changed.  
  
The place was packed when we first walked in and I had to admit that the place was cute on the inside. We found a booth in along the wall and all squished in. I guess the girls have become regulars of sorts because I was the only one to look at my menu. The blonde girl from last night, I think her name's Maria, smiled at us and waved a finger at us in a kind of "be right there" motion. The girls just smiled and waved back.  
  
I looked over the top of my menu at Tara and Willow who were sitting across the booth from us. "That's Maria right?"  
  
From her seat beside me Dawn chirped in, "Yup. That's Maria. I like her. She's nice. Kind of weird, but nice."  
  
"What right do you have to call anyone weird Dawn?"  
  
"Brat!"  
  
"What?" Buffy says innocently. "I was just teasing."  
  
"Next time I speak to my parents, well if I ever speak to my parents again, I need to remember to thank them for letting me be an only child."  
  
"Oh we're just joking Cordelia," Buffy answers.  
  
Dawn rolls her eyes, "You might be joking. I never said I was. You are a brat."  
  
From her position squished next to the wall, Buffy manages throw her arms around Dawn's neck and plant the sloppiest kiss I've seen on her cheek. "What are you talking about Dawnie? You know you love me. Come on admit it. I'm the bestest big sister in the world. I woooove you, my witttle sister."  
  
Dawn does her best to get Buffy's arms off of her, but it's basically impossible. Buffy has the advantage of both being the Slayer, so Slayer strength, and the bonus of really wanting to annoy her. That's a dangerous combination. I've got to give Dawn credit because she was trying really hard to stay mad at Buffy, but it just wasn't gonna happen. In defeat, Dawn finally admits, "Fine. I love you and you're the best sister ever. Now would you get off of me please?"  
  
Buffy unlatches herself from Dawn and adds smugly, "See? I knew it."  
  
Wow. Buffy almost looked more pleased with herself right then than she does after defeating some major demon. That's kind of sick, but I suppose it's just sisters for you.  
  
Maria came over and took our orders and that's how the rest of the meal went, the five of us just kind of goofing around not really talking about anything serious. There were a few awkward pauses every once in a while, but like I said I'm okay with that, but over all it was a fun lunch.  
  
The crowd died down a little and we decided to hang out for a little while longer. The girls had spread out into various groups and were chatting with the Roswell crew so I decided to take the opportunity to call Wes to check on the happenings in LA. I asked Maria if there was a place I could go that might be a little quieter and she pointed me to the break room. I was walking there when my cell phone rang.  
  
"Cordelia here. What can I do for you?"  
  
"Cordy," Angel's voices boomed from the other end. "What's going on? Where are you?"  
  
"I'm at the Crashdown and nothing is going on. I put a note under your door. Didn't you see it?"  
  
"No. I didn't." I can hear him shuffling around his hotel room, and I know that he's looking for the note. Dumb guy thinks I'm lying to him. Please. Like I'd lie to him about something as dumb as a note. I hear a slight grunt in the background and I know that he must have found the note. Haha. "Okay here it is."  
  
"Well duh. I put it there. Where else would it be? It's not like it can get up and walk away."  
  
"Cordelia." What's his problem? Such a cranky boy today. "Is everything okay there?"  
  
"Yes Angel. Everything is fine. We're all fine. Buffy is fine. Nothing has happened. We just ate lunch." I know I shouldn't ask, but I can't help it. The curiosity is killing me. "What's your issue today Angel? I mean besides my uninformative vision. You seem extra irritable today and I thought for sure you'd be better seeing as how we know that Buffy's okay. Well at least for now."  
  
For a moment, there's nothing but silence on the line and I can tell that Angel is trying to decide whether or not to tell me. I know him well enough to know that he's probably sitting on the edge of the bed, in the dark, with his head in his hands as he tries to make this decision. Good lord, I need to get a life. I know the brooding habits of a vampire. "It's the dream I was talking about Cordy. Something's not right with those people we met last night at the Crashdown."  
  
"Oh my god, Angel. You have got to be kidding. They're just a bunch of teenage kids. The only reason you think that they're not right is because they're perfectly normal. And last I checked you've never met a perfectly normal anything."  
  
"But Cordy, the dream."  
  
"Fine. I give up. What about this dream makes you think that these kids aren't right." I lower my voice a little because, as I look around the breakroom, I realize that any one of the people that we're talking about could walk in here at any moment. While I don't particularly buy into Angel's theory, I do think it would be rude for them to hear me talking about them.  
  
"The girl, the tall one."  
  
"Isabel?"  
  
"Yeah, I think that was her name." Angel hesitates for a second and I swear him take an unnecessary breath. He's actually starting to freak me out, and I brace myself for the worse. "She was in my dream last night."  
  
Huh? I can't help it. I burst into a fit of laughter.  
  
"Cordy? Cordelia stop it! This is serious."  
  
"I'm…. sorry…. Angel…..just….. a ……sec….." I pull the phone away from my ear and bury my face in my hands to try to purge the last of the laughter from my system. Okay, I think I'm okay now. "Is that all this about Angel? You're freaking out because you dreamt about her?"  
  
"No that's not what it was. It wasn't like *that*."  
  
"Sure. Uh-huh. You just feel guilty because you had a sexy dream about an underaged girl, but that shouldn't be anything new to you." Oops. That shouldn't have actually left my mouth.  
  
"Cordelia." He says my name abruptly and I can tell he's loosing patience with me.  
  
"What Angel? So you had a dream about a girl you don't know. It's perfectly normal. She's a pretty girl. It's no cause for sending out the red alert."  
  
"I mean it Cordelia. It wasn't like that. I had a dream and it was like she was in the dream, but not in the dream. Like she was watching my dream because she was in my head."  
  
"Okay sweetie even coming from you that's crazy talk. People just don't get inside other peoples heads."  
  
"I know that Cordelia. That's why I think something's up with them. Or at least her. Maybe she's a demon of some sort."  
  
"I think you spent too much time in Sunnydale. I think she's a normal girl and you just need to accept the fact that you had a dream about her and move on with your life. Or un-life."  
  
"Forget it Cordelia. I'm coming over there. Call Wesley and see if you can have him do some research into demons that could do something like this."  
  
I look at my watch. It's barely five in the evening. "Um Angel? Aren't you forgetting something? You can't come over here unless you like the up in flames look. The sun's still up."  
  
"Look outside Cordy. It's raining." I go to the back door and look out the little window. Huh, I guess it is. "I'll bring a blanket just in case, but I'll be fine. Call Wesley. I'll be over in a few minutes."  
  
Before I can say anything else, the line goes dead. "Bye to you too Angel," I mutter. I go over to the couch and plop down on it in a huff. Fine. I'll call Wesley. Just so he knows that I'm only calling Wesley because I was already going to call Wesley before his little phone call. I'm not calling Wes just because Angel told me to. I won't be pushed around like that for a crazy idea he has. I'm not his little lackey. I guess it can't hurt to have Wes check into the possibility of a demon that can get inside heads or dreams. This is crazy.  
  
I quickly dial the Hyperion on my phone and half wish that nobody answers the phone. It rings a few times and I'm almost ready to hang up when I hear somebody pick up on the other end. "Angel Investigations, we help the hopeless."  
  
"Hey Wes. It's Cordy."  
  
I can almost hear the disappointment in his voice, "Oh well. Hello Cordelia."  
  
"Sheesh Wesley. Sorry to disappoint you, but it's just me."  
  
"No of course. It's lovely to hear from you. It's just that I thought, perhaps, that you were a paying customer."  
  
"I understand. How are things there? Everything okay?"  
  
"Why yes. Everything here is good. Business is a little slow, but I suppose that is good considering we're low on help."  
  
"Hey. Don't blame me. I was all for staying there and waiting, but Angel was all gung-ho."  
  
"Yes, yes. I understand. How are things there? Is Buffy okay? Any more visions?"  
  
"Yeah. Everything here is still okay. Buffy and everybody were a little surprised to see us, but that was expected. No more visions though so we still have no clue what we're going to be up against."  
  
"Well then. I don't know what to say Cordelia. When you find anything out be sure to let us know how we can help."  
  
"Actually Wes," I pause, not believing that I'm actually going to say what I'm going to say. "There is something you can help us with. We need research."  
  
"Really?" I can hear his little Wesley ears perking up. He's like a puppy- dog-- a research terrier. "What is it."  
  
"Okay. This is going to sound strange. Oh what am I talking about nothing sounds strange to us anymore. We need to you to look into the possibility of a demon that can get inside someone's head. Or their dreams. Or anything like that."  
  
"Cordy," it always sounds so funny when he calls me Cordy with his proper British accent. "I need a little more information than that."  
  
"It's nothing really. Well at least I think it's nothing. Mostly I'm having you do this to placate Angel's neurosis. Angel had a dream last night and one of the kids here was in it. A girl, a pretty girl. I think he just a dream about a pretty girl, but he insists that it was more than that. He says she was actually in his head." The entire time I hear Wes in the background muttering things like "fascinating" and "interesting." I can practically hear the wheels turning in his head. "Like I said, I think he's just being paranoid, but could you look into it so he'll get off of my back?"  
  
"Of course I will. It is possible Cordelia that Angel is correct about this. He has a good sense about people."  
  
I have to roll my eyes at that. "Please Wesley. Angel has absolutely no sense about people. He hates people. Well he hates most people."  
  
"Still, he knows what he saw better than you do. I've read about quite a few species of demon that can do things like you've described…." Wes starts to ramble off the names of these demons and my mind starts to wander elsewhere. After all these years fighting demons, I could still care less what they're called. Just tell me how to kill 'em. "Cordelia? Cordelia are you listening to me."  
  
"Of course I am Wesley. Lots of demons can get inside people's heads. I can always count on you for the book stuff." At that minute the backdoor flies open and Angel rushes past me and bursts into the kitchen. He really needs to learn to make a calm entrance. "Uh Wes," I'm interrupted because I hear raised voices coming from the kitchen. Okay Angel you're gonna have to calm down before we have a mess to clean up. "Thanks for the information. I've gotta go. Call you later to check in. Bye."  
  
I flip my phone shut and am getting ready to try to deal with the situation that is arising in the kitchen, whatever it maybe, when I hear a scream. Too late.  
  
I try to calmly stroll into the kitchen to break up whatever is going on, but I push the door open and see Angel up in Isabel's face. Max is grabbing Angel by the arm, trying to pull him away from his sister, and Maria is still screaming. The sound of me walking in must have distracted both Angel and Max because they turn to look at me. In the that brief instant, they both let their guard down and then Max does this thing with his hand, a hand that looks like it's glowing, and Angel flies backwards. Okay, so maybe I was wrong about them being normal-- a girl can hope can't she. When Angel picks himself up off of the floor, he has his game face on. He turns to advance on Max, but when Max sees him he and Isabel raise their hands and Angel can't move forward. It's like he's blocked by some sort of barrier. This is strange, very strange. Maria who had actually stopped screaming for a blessed minute turns and sees Angel in all his game face glory, starts screaming again.  
  
Great Angel. Look what you've done now.  
  
**** 


	12. Chapter 12

In theory, this shouldn't be happening. In theory, I should be doing what all teenage girls do when they're on vacation with their older sisters. I should be complaining about being bored and whining about having to eat all of my meals at the exact same place. Then again I suppose all theories go to hell when your sister is the Slayer and your some kind of mystical green energy that's kind of like Kool-aid from another dimension. All of my theories fly out the window, and I'm stuck with *this* reality.  
  
The Crashdown had pretty much cleared out, except for the regular crew, and I was sitting around chatting with Alex. He has such cute ears, all big and sticky-outie. I bet if I grabbed them, they'd be squishy. But that's not what's important. The first scream everyone pretty much ignored. I saw Buffy tense up out of the corner of my eye, but she seemed to relax when she saw that Alex and Kyle weren't so much as batting an eyelid at it.  
  
"Uh," I asked Alex. "Don't you want to see what that's all about?"  
  
He glances up from the magazine he's been reading with a confused looks in his face. "See what what's all about?"  
  
"That scream."  
  
He laughs and says, "Oh that's nothing. It was just Maria. She screams at everything." He turns in his chair and joking asks Kyle, "So what do you think happened this time Kyle?"  
  
"That's a tough one. Let me think about it." He pats a finger to his lips and feigns a look that I think he is trying to mean deep thought but looks a little more like constipation to me. "I've got it! She broke a nail. Yup. That's gotta be it."  
  
Laughing, Alex turns back to me and adds, "You see Dawn? Our friend Maria tends to overreact just a little." He holds his thumb and index fingers as close together as they can be without touching in order to illustrate his point. Just then, a second, even louder scream echoes through the dining room and I can see the alarm register on Alex's face. This scream was almost bloodcurdling. As he bolts out of his seat, Alex shoots a look at the rest of his friends and adds, "Okay, now it's time to worry."  
  
Everyone (and when I say everyone I mean everyone: Buffy, Willow, Tara, me, Alex, Kyle, and Tess) rushes back toward the kitchen because it sounds like that's where the scream is coming from. The fact that all of us are trying to get to the same place at once, that place being through the kitchen door, makes for a kind of funny scene. There's pushing and shoving and people touching where they shouldn't be touching. Hey! Someone just grabbed my butt. Maybe it was Alex, sigh. I can see Buffy out of the corner of my eye and I can so tell that she's trying not to use her Slayer strength to get to through to the trouble inside. She's practically twitching. Buffy-must- save- the- day. I swear that, for as much as she whines about not getting to live a normal life, she actually gets off on getting to be the hero all of the time. Buffy to the rescue!  
  
Someone must have finally made it through the door because we all go tumbling to the ground just as Michael swoops in from who knows where. What we see as we get up, dusting ourselves off, is quite the sight.  
  
Angel has gone game face and looks like he's trying to advance on Isabel and Max. He can't move though because there's this bluish barrier holding him back, and I think Isabel and Max are causing it. They're holding hands and have their freehands extended in front of them and it looks like some sort of energy is coming from them. I'm guessing that whatever it is they're doing with their hands is causing the forcefield, or whatever it is. Cordelia is standing a little out of the way kind of shaking her head at Angel. I think she's trying to figure out what in the world is going on.  
  
I look over at the rest of the crowd and see a bunch of kind of confused people. The Roswell crew are looking at each other with a kind of uh-oh looks on their faces mixed with a kind of what the hell terror. I'm guessing the terror has more to do with Angel being all vamped out and the uh-oh has more to do with whatever it is that Max and Isabel are doing. So I'm guessing that they must not be normal people from Roswell after all, or maybe they are and normal people from Roswell just aren't normal.  
  
Buffy, Willow and Tara all have similar looks on their faces and I'd venture to say that I do as well. Except in our case it's all reversed. We're more uh-oh about Angel and what the hell about Max and Isabel.  
  
Angel and Max and Isabel must have been distracted by us coming in because they all turn and face us. Angel's game face flickers away for brief second. Max and Isabel drop their hands and the forcefield thingamajig drops.  
  
We all must have been in a bit of a stupor because suddenly everyone jumps into action.  
  
Voices jumble together a series of shouts. "Buffy!" "Angel!" "Max?""Michael!""What's going on?" I can't really tell what's happening on but I can tell that everyone's in a bit of a panic. I can see Buffy and Angel exchange a look that means they're planning something. I'm thinking that they must think that the Roswell gang is evil because it's that kind of look. I see Max, Michael, Isabel and Tess exchange a similar look. I'd wager that they don't trust us either because it looks like they're about to do something drastic. Meanwhile, I've noticed that Maria is still screaming.  
  
As he runs with Tess to join Max and Isabel, Michael yells. "Shut up Maria. For the love of god stop screaming!" Luckily, it works. My eardrums couldn't take much more.  
  
Buffy shoves me to the side and mutters, "Stay out of the way, and do what I tell you. If I say duck then you'd better duck. Willow, Tara. We might need your help."  
  
They nod in understanding. With that, Buffy and Angel take their fighting stances, grabbing whatever they can use as weapons. Angel holds a rolling pin and Buffy has a meat tenderizing mallet, both dangerous weapons in the hands of the right people. Buffy and Angel are the right people. They advance on the Max, Isabel, Michael and Tess. You'd think they'd be scared, seeing as how Angel's in game face and last I checked that was a pretty freaky thing the first time you see it. You'd at least think that they'd be edging backwards away from the people who can kick their asses, but they don't look scared at all and they aren't budging.  
  
Max gives a nod and they all lift their hands. I can tell that this time Max and Tess are holding hands and have once again sent out the forcefield thingie, because Angel and Buffy can't move forward anymore. Buffy tries to kick it, maybe she thinks that she can break it or something, but that only succeeds in making her tumble back into Angel's arms. Plus I think she hurt her leg.  
  
"Put that down!" Angel yells at them. "And tell us what you are."  
  
"No!" Max shouts back. "Back off and tell us what you are and then maybe we'll tell you."  
  
"Not until you tell us what you want with Buffy."  
  
They look at each other confused. Michael asks what is apparently running through all of their minds. "What the hell would we want Buffy for? Who sent you and what do you want with us? Forget it. Maxwell, now!" On that command, Max and Tess drop their hands and the barrier drops. Michael waves his hand through the air and the flame on the grill shoots into the air. Isabel holds her hand up and sends a pot hurling through the air at Buffy's head. It's a good thing she has good reflexes because she ducks and the pot hits the wall with a thud.  
  
With the advantage of having the barrier down, Buffy and Angel begin their attack. Buffy executes a roundhouse kick and her foot lands squarely in Michael's chest, sending him flying to the ground. Angel grabs Isabel by the throat and has her pinned against the wall. There's screaming and yelling now and I can't tell who is saying what but this isn't looking too good. Plus Buffy has her fist pulled back and I can tell she's about to punch Max in the nose, but she stops when an apple hits he in the back o the head. She turns around and sees Tess standing with a smirk on her face, she has her hand in the air and is sending produce flying through the air.  
  
Willow and Tara have gotten involved and they stand holding hands and chanting the words to some spell. I'm not sure what they're gonna do, but at this point, it better be good. The rest of the Roswell gang has gotten involved too. Kyle is up on Angel trying to get him off of Isabel, but Angel merely uses his free hand and shoves Kyle to the ground. Michael has picked himself off of the ground and is exploding just about everything in site with a wave of his hands. Buffy is getting ready to kick Tess's butt when Tess grabs Max's hand and the forcefield goes up again. At this rate, nothing is ever going to get accomplished.  
  
Over all the commotion of the fight, you can imagine how surprised we all are when we hear a scream. "Stop it!" We all turn and see Cordy, oops I forgot she was there, standing with her hands on her hips. I guess she was the one who did the shouting.  
  
She looks like she means business about the stopping it and I figure everyone can see it. Angel drops Isabel, who falls to the ground sputtering for air. Michael drops his hand and things stop blowing up. Max and Tess unlink their hands and the forcefield drops, causing Buffy who was still trying to break through it to fall to the floor.  
  
While everyone stands there, dumbfounded, Buffy, Kyle and Isabel pick themselves off the ground. Cordelia looks quite pleased with herself when she says, "There now. *That's* much better."  
  
****  
  
Oh my god. This can't be good.  
  
****  
  
Well at least things are a little calmer now. But I'm thinking this probably isn't good.  
  
**** 


	13. Chapter 13

****  
  
Okay, so Cordy's pseudo-tirade seems to have worked. We're all just kind of standing around gawking at one another, but then Max notices something and freaks out. "Where is Liz? What happened to Liz?" His voice is getting progressively louder and I can tell that he is getting ready to go on the offensive. He turns and looks directly at Angel, who is no longer wearing his game face. "What the hell did you do with Liz?"  
  
Angel is getting angry--er, again, and I see his eyes flash yellow for a brief instant. "What are talking about I didn't do anything with Liz." He takes step closer to Max and I can see everyone put their guard up again. "I don't even know who Liz is."  
  
"I don't believe you," Max half hisses. "Where is she? What do you want with us?"  
  
With that comment, the room erupts once again with the shouting. I can't tell who is saying what but I hear a jumble of various different accusatory remarks.  
  
"What are you?"  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
Haven't I heard all of this before? And my question is, if we think they're evil and they think we're evil, who really is evil? I'm guessing that nobody is because I know that we're certainly not evil. Unless nobody bothered to tell me that we've gone all evil now and wouldn't that just be peachy? I'm always the last to know. You know I'd try to espouse my " don't think any of us are evil and maybe we're supposed to work together" idea to everyone except there's too much screaming and who ever listens to a fifteen-year-old anyway. Yeesh. Too much screaming and it's making my head hurt.  
  
Cordy once again saves my eardrums. "I said shut up!" I don't know why they listen, but once again everyone stops with the yelling. "Like I said earlier, *that's* much better."  
  
Angel swivels on his heel and gives Cordelia a really nasty look. "Cordelia what the hell are you doing?"  
  
"Oh don't get nasty with me, mister. The way I figure it we should try to figure out what's going on through verbal communication before we beat each other up. If it doesn't work through the talking, then we can make with the carnage. But I was thinking about the you know." She gives him a look the says "you know" means something that he should know what it means but from the look on Angel's face you can tell that he's clueless. If you ask me, she talking about her vision things. "*You know!*" She throws her hand to her forehead and scrunches up her face and Angel seems to get it.  
  
"Oh yeah, the you know. What about it?" Score one for me, they've got to be talking about the visions or they wouldn't be making with the cryptic.  
  
"Well wouldn't the you know whos have shown me in the you know what if they were evil since we've met them. You'd think the you know whos would have given us a heads up or something."  
  
Angel seems to be contemplating Cordelia's thoughts, while the rest of us stand around scratching our head from all of the you know talk. "It could be, but maybe the you know whos wanted to be vague. The you knows are sometimes vague."  
  
Okay enough of the crazy talk, I'm going to try to say something. Maybe someone will listen. I kind of raise my hand in the air. What am I, in math class? "Um I have something to say."  
  
"Dawn," Buffy chastises, "this isn't the time."  
  
To this I must glare the glare of death. "But it's important."  
  
"Oh let the girl talk," Cordelia says. "We're not getting anywhere anyway."  
  
"Thank you Cordelia. I think." I scan the faces in the room and take a deep breath. "Okay from what I can gather, we," I motion to the Buffy and Angel crews, "think you," I wave my hands at the Roswell gang, "are evil. And you think the same about us." I see the Roswell people nod their heads in reluctant agreement. "But we're not evil, are we guys?"  
  
"Nope." Buffy agrees and I can tell that she's actually getting where I'm going with this and I so want to do the na-na-na-na-nana dance, but I'm gonna be mature and hold myself back. "No evil here."  
  
"And what?" Michael scowls. "We're just supposed to believe you? Because people who are evil always *say* that they're evil."  
  
"Well actually...." Angel starts.  
  
"Yes," I interrupt Angel before he goes off on one of his when I was evil rants because that's just what we need right now. "You are just supposed to believe us because if you say you're not evil we'll believe you. Won't we guys."  
  
"Sure. Why not. What's life without a little risk taking?"  
  
"So," Willow asks, "are you evil?"  
  
"No." Isabel says it like it was a ridiculous question.  
  
"Well then okay." Cordelia pushes herself onto the counter and lets her legs dangle. "Good thinking Dawn. Now someone's gotta start telling a story. Who's it gonna be?"  
  
Silence, dead silence. Nobody wants to be the one to spill first. Wait! Maybe it'll be Max. He's clearing his throat and yup he's talking, "Before we tell you anything, you have to answer one question."  
  
Angel looks a little confused but it seems like the question is being directed at him. "O-k."  
  
"What happened to Liz?"  
  
With that, the door from the breakroom swings open and Liz walks in. "I'm right here. Oh my god. What's going on here?" She surveys the kitchen with a look of utter shock on her face. There is produces scattered everywhere and various items are in different stages of charred. She looks like she might cry. "What the hell happened?"  
  
Max rushes to her side and envelopes her in a huge bear hug. "Liz, you're okay. I was so worried about you. Where were you?"  
  
From within Max's embrace Liz answers, "We ran out of milk and I had to run to the store to get it. I told Michael where I was going."  
  
"Uh oops. Yeah Maxwell, I forgot to tell you. Liz had to run to the store to get milk."  
  
Max gives Michael a look and then release Liz. Liz asks, "Now is someone going to explain what's going on here?"  
  
Buffy hops up on the counter next to Cordelia and says, "I guess that's my cue. Everyone better make themselves comfortable because this might take awhile. I'm Buffy and I'm a vampire slayer."  
  
Nobody looks all that confused. Shouldn't there be a lot more confused faces? "Huh," Liz comments. "Is that a full time job?"  
  
"No! I'm serious you guys." Buffy is getting frustrated because I can tell she thinks that they don't believe her. "There are vampires in the world and demons and in every generation one girl is chosen to fight them. That's me." She waves at all of us. "Buffy. The slayer."  
  
"I didn't mean that we don't believe you." Liz answers apologetically. "When you've seen what we've seen, it doesn't take much to make us believe that you're a slayer."  
  
"*The* Slayer. There's only one." Buffy's grumbly now. I think she wanted them to be more impressed or to have to do more convincing."  
  
"Sorry. The Slayer. We really believe you, right guys?" Liz looks to all of her friends for assistance. Michael scowls and Max just gazes at her dopey-like. Isabel shrugs her shoulders and Maria nods.  
  
"Yeah." Kyle replies. "We believe you. You're the Slayer. That's cool."  
  
From her seat on the floor next to Kyle, Tess inquires. "So how exactly does one kill a vampire?"  
  
Kyle nudges her in the side. "Were you not paying any attention during the Lost Boys. Fire. Stake through the heart. Sunlight and beheading."  
  
"Wow," Buffy answers. "I'm impressed."  
  
Isabel snarks, "And who ever said the movies aren't educational."  
  
Maria pushes slides her body down the wall until she's sitting down. "So wait a second. If Buffy's the Slayer, then you," she points at Angel. "Are you a vampire? Because you had the wrinkly face and the ishy green eyes."  
  
Angel nods. "Yes I'm a vampire, but when I'm vamped out my eyes are yellow not green."  
  
"Uh dude," Michael says. "They were green."  
  
"They were not," Angel growls. "They're yellow. I should know. I'm the vampire here, plus I'm an artist and I know my colors."  
  
"Well yeah," Michael smirks. "I'm an artist too, and I say they were green."  
  
"Yellow."  
  
"Green."  
  
"Um Angel?"  
  
"What Buffy?"  
  
"Didn't you draw in charcoal?"  
  
"What's your point?"  
  
"No point. No point at all."  
  
"Michael?"  
  
"What Maria?"  
  
"You're experience as an artist boils down to drawing a dome. Many times sure, but still, just a dome."  
  
"I don't care. His eyes were green."  
  
"Oh screw it you guys." Cordelia interrupts. She addresses Michael. "His eyes are yellow when he vamps out. I should know, I see it enough. And you," she points at Angel. "Could you stop with the warped pissing contest, about a really girlie thing nonetheless, so we can get back to what's important?"  
  
"Fine," Angel bows his head in shame just a little bit. Haha. Angel got in trouble.  
  
"Question?" Alex has his hand raised.  
  
"Yeah?" Tara answers.  
  
"If Buffy kills vampires and Angel is a vampire, why are they hanging out? Shouldn't she be killing him?"  
  
"Oh that's easy. I have a soul so I'm not evil?"  
  
"A vampire with a soul?" Tess asks. "Okay. Color me confused."  
  
"Around one hundred years ago I killed the favorite daughter of a gypsy clan so they cursed me with a soul as punishment so that I would feel the guilt of all the pain I'd inflicted."  
  
"Oh well then. That makes sense." Wow, these people are easily placated.  
  
"So," Liz states. "Buffy's the Slayer and Angel is a vampire with a soul. Anyone else have any special powers?"  
  
Tara, Willow, Cordelia and I all raise our hands.  
  
"I get visions of people in trouble from the Powers That Be. That's why we're here. Buffy's in trouble. Well, I think she is."  
  
"I'm a w-witch," Tara says.  
  
"Oh, oh. Me too, me too." Willow says while doing a happy dance.  
  
"Don't let her perkiness fool you," I say. "She's mad powerful. Oh and I don't so much as have mystical powers so much as I am a mystical power. I'm the Key. Not really a human so much as mystical energy put into human form. Some monks made me Buffy's little sister because they figured Buffy would protect me."  
  
The kitchen is filled with a bunch of mutterings as the Roswell gang processes all of the information we just shoved at them. Liz finally speaks up for all of them, "Well. That's fascinating."  
  
"Okay," Willow chirps. "This is kind of fun. Now it's your turn."  
  
"Well, I guess that'll be me." Max says. "I guess the easiest way to do this is to just say it so here goes. Isabel, Michael, Tess and I are all aliens."  
  
"Really?" Buffy inquires. "What planet are you from?"  
  
"Antar," Max answers. "But seriously we're alien hybrids with special powers. Our people sent us here as hybrids mixed with human DNA in 1947. We were royalty on our planet although none of us remember it."  
  
"That's cool." Cordelia answers. "Like you said, when you've seen what we've seen aliens aren't so hard to accept."  
  
"So how'd you do that stuff you were doing?" Buffy asks.  
  
"Like Max said," Isabel answers. "We have special powers. But basically we can manipulate the molecular structure of things. Here, I'll show you." With a wave of her hand over it, the once charred stove is back to normal.  
  
"Wow," I gawk. "That's cool."  
  
"You should see what she can do with hair," Maria jokes.  
  
Angel has another question. "So you guys are aliens sent down here in 1947 but you look 17. How'd that happen? And what about parents?"  
  
"We didn't hatch from our pods, and doesn't that sound weird, until around 10 years ago and we came out looking like seven-year-olds. Max and I were found wandering the desert and were adopted by our parents. They think we're just orphans. Michael was found later and put into the foster system but is now an emancipated minor. We didn't know about Tess until last year because she hatched later and was raised by another alien who was sent here to be our protector. He was killed earlier this year and now Tess lives with Kyle and his dad, Sheriff Valenti. But he's not sheriff anymore."  
  
"Yeah," Maria answers. "What Isabel said."  
  
"Okay. I'm still a little confused here. I have to be secret with my Slayer identity. Not that many people know and that was all on a sort of need to know type basis. How is it that all of these people know that you're aliens. Because that doesn't seem like something you just walk around announcing."  
  
"Here's the deal." Michael states. "Maxwell had a crush on Liz. Liz got shot. Max healed her so she found out. She told Maria and then Alex. Later Kyle got shot and Max healed him too. So Kyle and his dad know too. That's it."  
  
"Okay then," Tara agrees. "That makes sense."  
  
Now it's Cordelia's turn. "Anyone else with special powers?"  
  
Kyle, Alex and Maria all shake their heads and simultaneously say, "Nope. Just comic relief."  
  
"Liz?" I ask. "What about you?"  
  
"Oh no." She stares dreamily at Max. "I'm just here because Max saved me." Sigh.  
  
"Anything else we need to know?" Angel asks.  
  
Max answers. "Okay we have enemies. They're called Skins because they shed their skin. We think they're all dead now because they've been leaving us alone. And also, one of them took control of Alex's mind and had him decode something for them using the super-computer at the University in Las Cruces. I think that's it."  
  
"Okay then." Cordy comments. "That was easier than I thought it would be. Now, should we clean up this mess?"  
  
"Oh don't worry about that," Tess snickers. "We've got it covered." The four aliens, I can't believe I'm saying that like it's nothing, stand in various parts of the room and wave their hands in the air. In an instant, the kitchen goes from a war zone to normal.  
  
"Wow," I guffaw. "That's so cool. Wanna come back to Sunnydale with me to help me clean my room?"  
  
**** 


	14. Chapter 14

****  
  
I remember a time when I wanted more excitement in my life than what podunk Roswell could provide. I can't help but laugh at myself as I go out back to put the trash in the dumpster. I actually stop for a break right next to the dumpster. How pathetic am I that I'm relaxing by a really smelly garbage place. But I suppose that when you're trying to escape a group of people with special powers, taking a breather, not that I'm doing much breathing, by the trash isn't so freaky.  
  
I swear sometimes I would kill to have my life back. How nice would it be to be a normal girl again? Very, very nice indeed. Then again I never was exactly normal. Cypress oil and all, plus a mom who runs a semi-new age shop and sells alien themed novelty items to businesses around Roswell. Still, my life was more normal than it is now. Without aliens. Without Lizzie. Seeing as how without the aliens and their special powers my Lizzie would be dead, I guess I can handle not being normal. Mom always said normal is overrated anyway.  
  
These are the things I think as I stand by the garbage, taking a break. Aliens and vampires and witches and visions and vampire slayers. Or vampire slayer, should I say? In the singular. It's kind of overwhelming when I think of all of it. Everybody else seemed perfectly okay with the idea of vampires and demons, but I'm not quite sure I can get my head around the idea yet. I'm sure I'll be okay in time. After all, it only took me a day to accept aliens, vampires can't be too far off. Oh I would so be institutionalized if I ever tried to talk about this stuff in public. Can you imagine? "Hey Mom, there's something I need to talk to you about." I'd be locked up in a heartbeat, and they'd throw away the key. It's wackiness, I tell you. Pure wackiness.  
  
"You know, you should really get inside."  
  
"Jesus!" I jump about a mile as I turn to see Angel coming up the alley. "Can't you make any noise? You scared the crap out of me."  
  
"Sorry, but the quietness comes along with the whole vampire thing."  
  
"Well for godsake, hum or something. I've survived sci-fi movie like trauma. I don't wanna die from a heart attack."  
  
"I don't hum. Or whistle although you certainly aren't the first person to suggest such a thing. You really should be inside. It's not safe out here."  
  
"That's nothing new. Hasn't been safe out here for a really long time, or at least it feels like a really long time. Besides, nothing has happened."  
  
"Doesn't matter. You should be inside in case something does happen."  
  
"I'm taking a break. I'll go inside when I'm ready to." Which, if I had to admit it, would be never. Michael is in there, and it hurts to be around him right now. I miss him. But I'll be damned if I'm gonna tell him that. Hell no.  
  
"Fine. I'll wait with you."  
  
"Fine."  
  
I look over at him and he's leaning against the building, coat billowing in the breeze with a slight scowl on his face. Good god, he's sexy. He looks like something from a cheesy porn movie. Not that I've ever seen a cheesy porn movie or anything. I'm just imagining. Oh god! I'm not imagining, imagining. Angel in porn. Okay DeLuca. Mind out of the gutter.  
  
"You do that well." I blurt out. If I don't talk soon my mind is gonna take me to places that it should not be. A sexual fantasy about a vampire. Sheesh. Then again, I've had a number of fantasies about a particular alien...  
  
"What?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"What is it that I do well?"  
  
"Oh. You sulk well. I thought Michael had the art of sulking mastered to its finest, but I think you might have him beat. But maybe you don't sulk. I think you're more of a brooder. So that's what you do well. You brood."  
  
"So they tell me."  
  
"Since you're not gonna let me have a moment's peace."  
  
"Hey I'm not bothering you. I'm just watching to make sure you're safe."  
  
"But see that's kind of creepy so I can't just sit there and know that you're there watching. It's too weird. I get the sense that you're not much of a talker, but since you won't let me have my break alone I'm gonna make you talk to me. Did that make any sense? Because I suddenly realized there was much Maria logic in there and not everybody speaks Maria logic."  
  
He smiles a little half smile and oh my god, it's so sexy. My insides melt a little bit. "Actually," he shakes his head in amusement. "It made perfect sense. I speak Cordy logic which is actually quite similar to Maria logic. What do you want to talk about."  
  
I look at him standing there all romance novel coverish, romance novels are much better than porn movies because at least I don't audio as well as visual images, and all I can do for that moment is picture throwing myself at him. But that will never do because like I was telling Isabel I get the Buffy and Angel sexual vibe thing and Buffy could so kick my ass. So, hmmm. What should I talk to him about? "So you're a vampire huh?"  
  
"Yeah." From the look on his face, I can tell he has no clue where I'm going with this. Truth be told, neither do I.  
  
"How is that?" Dumb Maria dumb. You should have stuck with the silence.  
  
"Well I'm dead and inhabited by a demon. I've killed thousands of people and can never know true love. Now I'm working for redemption by trying to help the hopeless. How do this it is?"  
  
"Okay sorry. *Really* stupid question, I know this. But you'll have to forgive me. My experience is in talking with aliens, not vampires."  
  
"It's okay. Just talk to me like you would anyone else."  
  
"I can try that. So if you're dead, how old are you? Just curious. I've never met a dead person before."  
  
"I'm somewhere around 250."  
  
"Wow you look good for your age."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
We settle back into the silence and I'm surprised that this time I'm actually comfortable with it. I don't even feel antsy, knowing that there is someone there just watching me. Although it is kind of eerie how, when the street light above the alley flickers out, Angel just blends into the darkness.  
  
I am beyond shocked when Angel initiates a conversation with me. "About the aliens."  
  
I shift in the alley trying to at least find a face in the darkness. Someone that I can talk back to. Angel must know what I'm doing because he steps forward, into the moonlight so I can see him. "What about them?"  
  
"Can they be trusted?"  
  
"Of course they can be trusted. They've saved our lives more times than I can count. Plus, we endanger them more than they endanger us. There are people out there that would kill to get their hands on them to do experiments and what-not. I trust them completely."  
  
"Sorry. I had to ask one more time. Thank you. What about that Michael guy?"  
  
Oh Angel's jealous. He must have sensed the Buffy and Michael flirtage. I'm with you brother. I feel your pain. "Michael?" I laugh, heartily. It can't be helped. "He never hurt anyone. Except for the FBI agent who was gonna kill them so he killed him and even that was an accident." I add under my breath. "And me. He likes to hurt me, but that's just his version of fun."  
  
"I'm...."  
  
Angel is getting ready to say something when we're interrupted by a cry of pain. Major pain. Angel jumps to attention. "Cordy?" He runs to the door and rushes inside, and I'm right behind him.  
  
**** 


	15. Chapter_15

AN: Hi guys. I just wanted to apologize for the huge-ass delay in an update. I feel really bad, but here's the thing. I last updated during Spring Break and then came back to my last semester of law school so I got really busy. School stuff, work stuff and trying to find a job. I didn't really have time to write with RL (I had to maintain some priorities.g). The few times I sat down to write, it just wouldn't come out. Now that I'm done with exams, I should have more time to write again. Just keep in mind that after I graduate in two weeks I have to move so updates might be sporadic. Plus I'm still look for employment. I just wanted to let you all know that am still writing and have the next four or five chapters plotted in my head. Thanks so much to all of you who are feedbacking and letting me know how much you enjoy it. It keeps me writing this beast. Because now that Roswell is almost over, it's getting really hard to write. Thanks again for your patience.  
  
Hugs,  
  
Babs  
  
****  
  
One day, when my time on this place we call Earth is up and I come face to face with the Powers, I'm going to have me some words with those guys. Because, really this vision thing isn't the yummy goodness it's cracked up to be. Plus, I think I'm greatly under appreciated. Okay, I'm not making much sense here. I guess I should back up a couple of minutes to clarify.  
  
After the little, "let's share" fest, everyone scattered. I guess we all needed to let it all sink in. Angel lurked in the corner for a while. Initially, he and Buffy huddled together whispering back and forth, but then she wandered off. He just hunkered in the shadows watching everyone. That's just great Angel because you looming in dark spaces going all stalker on them is *just* what we need in order to gain their trust. Yeah, yeah. I *know* we all said we were fine and dandy with the information that we all just spilled forth, but to a point that's gotta be a little bit of lip service. I'm not sure how much I can trust them yet. It takes a lot for me to willing place my life in someone's hands, and I'm not sure that I'm willing to do that with someone who can manipulate the molecular structure of things. Hell they could manipulate the molecular structure of me. That is so very creepy, but kind of cool too. I wonder if what Maria was saying about hair was true….  
  
Anyway, now that Angel seems to have left the building (it's dark now so he's probably off basking in the darkness), it appears that I'm the one left here to make with giant strides towards forging a bond of trust. Or at least I have to get them to trust me and get myself to trust them. In the very least, I have to make with the nice and get them to feed me. I'm absolutely famished.  
  
So I'm headed to the table where all the Roswell crew are huddled together and I'm going to attempt to convince them that we all really are good people and then I'm going to give them the opportunity to return the favor. They should believe me right? After all, I'm Cordelia. I think it, I say it. They can get that. Except it never happens. I've taken three, maybe four steps towards them when I stop in my tracks because I feel the vision coming on. Speaking of which, wouldn't one think that it would be nice to know that the unspeakable pain in going to hit you, but it's not much help. All the two seconds warning does is send a tingling feeling to my brain which in subsequently tenses me up because I know I'm about to get the mind searing pain. Consequently, since I'm tense when the vision hits, I usually hit the floor extra hard and end up with a very substantial bump on my head.  
  
Yup. That's what happens this time too. Right before the vision hits, I look over at the Roswell crew and see that Liz and Isabel have noticed me coming over. And that's the last thing I see before the jackhammer in my head takes over and I scream.  
  
A few moments later, I open my eyes and remove my hands from my head. Angel's right there ready to cradle my head in his arms and soothe. "Cordy," he says in the gentle yet harried voice that he takes on post- vision. "What is it? What'd you see?"  
  
I look up and see that every one in the room has huddled around me and they're all staring at me like I have six heads. Sheesh, I think I now know what animals in the zoo feel like. "Angel..." I start to answer him but suddenly everyone starts asking questions.  
  
"What happened to her?"  
  
"Is she okay?"  
  
"What the hell?"  
  
"Is that normal? That can't be normal."  
  
Ugh. The voices. Too many voices making too much noise and my head can't take it. If people don't shut up I'm going to toss my cookies in front of all of them, and that's really not an impression that I want to make. Luckily, Angel knows that I can't handle all this commotion post-vision and shuts them all up.  
  
"All of you shut up!" He says with a hiss. "That was one of the visions she was telling you about and it's perfectly normal. Well, normal for her. What I need you," he pauses and randomly points at Liz, "to do is get her some painkillers, the stronger the better. Don't forget a glass of water. The rest of you just keep your mouths shut so she can tell us what she saw."  
  
In thanks, I smile at him as well as I can post-vision and open my mouth to tell him what I saw, but then I actually *think* about what I saw. Oh. My. God. This is ridiculous. I can't believe this. I can believe him!!  
  
Angel is looking at me with that hovery look on his face. "What? What is it Cordy? What'd you see?"  
  
Oh yeah mister. Try to be sympathy boy, all nice and gentle. Screw that. With the little energy that I have, I place my hands squarely on his chest and shove myself away from him. I somehow manage to get to my feet and find my voice. "YOU!" I point my shaking finger at him and try to let my irritation at him show in my voice. "I can't believe you."  
  
He's really confused now, and the rest of the people are mighty perplexed too. Now that I think about it, they're kind of getting a show, but I don't have time to worry about this. I all I can think about is how utterly pissed I am at Angel.  
  
"What did I do?"  
  
"YOU!" I say again. I know it's not clever, but it's all I can think of.  
  
"I say again. What did I do?" Now he's getting pissy too. That's it. I've had it  
  
.  
  
"Oh no boy-o. Don't you get pissy with me! Not when you're doing this to me. I can't believe this. I get mind numbing visions for you and the Powers. And I put up with it because I want to help and I know that the pain is for the good. Right? But this is ridiculous. Do they think this is some sort of sick joke? Do they!? Answer me Angel!"  
  
"Uh Cordy, I would. I'd love to answer you, but your kind of not making any sense here. Could you help me out a little?"  
  
"Oh sure, why not. After all, I have to get the visions with the stink and the pain and the ickiness. I guess I can spell it out for you. I get the vision. I make the long ass drive down here with you. Aliens, for the love of God. I put up with your all around pissiness because Buffy is in danger. Or wait!" I point my finger in the air and brighten my face. "Is she? I'm guessing she's not because you know what I just saw in that vision?"  
  
"No Cordy. I don't, but I was kind of hoping that you'd tell me."  
  
"Darla Angel. I saw Darla."  
  
"Darla?" He asks with some doubt. I think he's hoping I'm lying.  
  
"Darla?" That would be Buffy. "But Darla's de…"  
  
"Yes Darla. Does nobody listen to what I say? Darla. God Angel. The Powers have seen fit to give me a private home viewing of your love life. I can't believe this. I so cannot believe this."  
  
From the huddle that the Roswell gang has once again formed, and my gosh why is it that like to huddle so much, Max braves asking a question. "So who is Darla?"  
  
"Darla is Angel's sire and ex-girlfriend, I guess." Willow answers patiently.  
  
"Sire?"  
  
"Yeah. The vampire who made him a vamp back in the day." Dawn answers.  
  
"Oh," Alex nods his head. "Gotcha."  
  
"Cordelia?" Angel asks.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Have you thought about the possibility that Darla might actually factor into this. That *she* might be what is going to endanger Buffy."  
  
Buffy and Willow both look at Angel like he's speaking some language that's not English. "Aren't you forgetting something." Willow asks. "Like the something where Darla's dead. As in dust."  
  
"She's not dead." I answer.  
  
"Uh yeah." Buffy interjects. "Pretty sure she's dead. Saw it with my own eyes. There was a poof and then she went all dusty."  
  
"Not anymore. Bad guys resurrected her. Where have you been Buffy?"  
  
"Sunnydale Cordelia. So wait. Darla was resurrected and you didn't think to tell me?"  
  
"It kind of slipped my mind Buffy. I'm sorry, but I kind of had other things on my mind."  
  
"Other things?"  
  
"Yeah other things. You know Angel, Buffy. He had guilt and anger and some more guilt. Plus a little extra mopiness." I turn to Angel. "I don't think Darla is a threat to Buffy. I just think the Powers want to torture me with a private showing of the days of you life, or unlife. What would Darla want with Buffy?"  
  
"Hello? Do you not remember her stint in Sunnydale? Oh you wouldn't, would you? You were too busy worrying about your shoes back then."  
  
"Thanks Buffy. No I wasn't there, but Angel filled me in. That's kind of what happens when you work with a person for two years." Back to Angel. "Do you really think that after what you did to Darla and Dru, Darla would come after someone close to you?"  
  
"It's not at all beyond her." Angel says. I can tell by the growing furrow in his brow that he's really starting to worry now. "I think that is really might be Darla, Cordy."  
  
I want to be mad. I want to pout. I really, really do, but his overwhelming concern for Buffy gets to me and I can't stay mad. "Fine." I poke my finger into his shoulder. "But if the next vision I get is of Dru we are so going home."  
  
He half chuckles and says, "Deal."  
  
"Cordelia?" I turn to see Liz standing in front of me holding a bottle of water and a few pills. "Here are the painkillers that you asked for."  
  
"Thanks a lot." Taking them from her with a smile, I throw the pills into my mouth and wash them down with the water.  
  
"I can't believe that Darla is alive." Buffy says in disbelief.  
  
A crash sounds at the front door and we all look to see the shattering glass. Darla stands at the threshold. "Alive?" she answers. "I certainly am."  
  
***** 


End file.
